¿Por qué Pant para la Copa de Campeones eligió Sanju Samson? Los carros “variables diferenciales”, factor vici

Former India cricket team wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik explained that the selectors were inclined to pick Rishabh Pant over Sanju Samson for Champions Trophy because the former was a left-handed batter. The Kerala keeper-batter was left out of India’s squad and has not even been included as a traveling reserve. While it shouldn’t come as a surprise to many, given that India already have two keepers in their squad, Karthik attempted to dissect the selection.

Why Pant was picked over Samson

Speaking in a video on Cricbuzz, Karthik explained that Pant could give the side the “differential variable” that is expected from the batting order. He cited Pant being a southpaw to justify him being picked over Samson in the Champions Trophy squad. Further, DK opined that Samson‘s absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy also had a role to play in his exclusion from the squad.

“It almost had to happen, isn’t it? It was either Rishabh Pant or Sanju Samson. I know you can look at both of them as pure batters, but I think they have tilted towards Rishabh Pant for just the one reason: because he is a left-hander. He can give that differential variable that they are looking for in the batting order. But Sanju Samson was so close, and the fact that he didn’t play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, I am sure, has played a part in that too,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz’s HeyCBwithDK show.

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Earlier, reports had claimed that Samson’s absence in the VHT had led to his exclusion from India’s CT 2025 squad. The Kerala batter was accused by the KCA of skipping a training camp with a “one-line message” to explain why he opted to skip the camp. Samson had reportedly wanted to take a break after the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and before the commencement of VHT. However, he was left out from the squad. KCA president Jayesh Geroge made explosive allegations against Samson, claiming that he disrespected the board and its policy. However, the Kerala batter’s father has claimed that his son’s future at the hands of the KCA was in danger and urged other states to consider signing his son. Additionally, Congress MP Shasi Tharoor had also claimed that Samson’s career was being destroyed due to ego clashes of the KCA members.