Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that KL Rahul will continue as the primary wicketkeeper for the Men in Blue in the 2025 Champions Trophy. He emphasized that Rahul is the team’s No. 1 wicketkeeper while assuring that Rishabh Pant will get his opportunity.
With Pant missing the 2023 ODI World Cup due to a car accident, Rahul took over the keeping duties and performed well with both the gloves and the bat. Despite Pant’s return to international cricket, Rahul remains India’s first-choice keeper-batter in ODIs.
Rahul featured in all three matches of India’s 3-0 ODI series victory against England. Speaking at a post-match press conference, Gambhir reaffirmed that Rahul will continue as India’s preferred wicketkeeper in ODIs, (as quoted by the ‘Times of India’):
“KL is our No. 1 wicketkeeper, and this is what I can say at the moment. Rishabh Pant will get his chance, but, at the moment, it is KL who has done well, and we cannot play two wicketkeeper-batters.”
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“We Prioritize Impact Over Stats” – Gambhir on Axar Patel’s Batting Promotion
India’s decision to elevate all-rounder Axar Patel to No. 5 ahead of KL Rahul in the first two games against England sparked mixed reactions. Many questioned why a specialist batter was placed lower than an all-rounder. However, Gambhir defended the strategy by stating:
“We don’t look at averages and stats. We look at who can deliver when.”
At the press conference, Gambhir expressed his thoughts on excluding young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal from the Champions Trophy squad and selecting Varun Chakravarthy as an additional spinner.
“The only reason was we wanted a wicket-taking option and we know Varun Chakravarthy can be that option. Yashasvi Jaiswal has a long future ahead, and we can only play 15,” the head coach said.
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