Follow UsFormer Indian cricketer and broadcaster Harbhajan Singh questioned India’s squad selection for the Champions Trophy once again. He expressed his unhappiness over Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal's exclusion from the squad.
Samson scored a hundred in the last ODI he played for India (against South Africa in December 2023) and has averaged 56.6 in 14 ODIs. While KL Rahul has been selected as the main wicketkeeper of the side, Rishabh Pant has also been selected in the squad.
It’s evident that the Indian team and selectors haven’t given up on Pant’s potential in white-ball cricket despite him not doing enough with the bat in the format. He averages just 33.5 after 31 ODIs for India.
“Truly, I feel bad for him (Sanju),” Harbhajan told Switch.
“He scores runs but he is dropped. I know you can only select 15, but I feel his batting suits the format.
“He has an average of 55-56, but he isn’t even there as a second wicketkeeper. When we talk about selecting him, people ask, in whose place? Places can be made,” the veteran Indian spinner said, indicating that Samson could have made the squad had Pant not been there.
Harbhajan then questioned the absence of Chahal from the squad as well, as India’s spin attack has two left-arm spinners in Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, an off-spinner in Washington Sundar, and a left-arm wrist spinner in Kuldeep Yadav. However, the squad lacks a right-arm leggie, and that’s where Harbhajan felt that Chahal was meriting a spot.
Notably, Chahal has 121 wickets in 72 ODIs with an average of 27.13 and an economy of 5.26.
“Sanju isn’t there. Yuzvendra Chahal isn’t there, too
You’ve picked four spinners, two of them are left-armers,” Harbhajan remarked.
“You could’ve included a leg-spinner for variation, too. Chahal is a superb bowler. I don’t know what wrong he did; he doesn’t fit in this team."