Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the wicketkeeper debate between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant in a press conference after India’s semi-final win over Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Rahul has kept wickets in all four of India’s matches in the tournament, scoring 106 runs in three innings while taking five catches and completing a stumping. When questioned about the criticism for selecting Rahul over Pant, Gambhir responded:
“KL Rahul averages 50 in one day cricket, that’s the answer.”
KL Rahul has played at number six throughout the tournament, contributing crucial knocks against Bangladesh and Australia. He recorded his highest score of the tournament (42*) against Australia, finishing the match with a six as India stormed into the finals for the fifth time in the tournament’s history.
“If I stay true to my job, nothing else matters” – Gambhir on selection criticism
When questioned about feeling vindicated after criticism over selection calls, Gautam Gambhir stated that it never affected him. He said:
“I don’t care about it, my job is, to be honest to 140 crore Indians and to my players in the dressing room. I don’t care what people talk about it how they talk about it, whether they’ve got agenda, whether they’ve got not got agendas. If I am honest with my job, that is all that matters and I can sleep in peace.”
Gambhir addressed the criticism over the management’s decision to include five spinners in the squad. He said:
“I mean, you talk about the spinning combination. We got 3 all-rounders in those 5 spinners. I don’t know why people keep forgetting about it. And those three all-rounders are quality all-rounders.”
”Actually, in the entire squad, we have only picked 2 frontline spinners and that is ok. In a 15-member squad if you pick two frontline spinners that’s not too much to be asking for.”
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