Gautam Gambhir Faces Tough Decision Between Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson for T20I Series Against Sri Lanka

The new head coach of the Indian cricket team, Gautam Gambhir, faces a tough decision between Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Both players are flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsmen, and with only two slots available, the choice won’t be easy.

The series gains significance as it is the first under the coaching of Gambhir and after Hardik Pandya, a strong contender for captaincy, was sidelined by Suryakumar Yadav. Gambhir’s influential role and the team composition over the next two years, leading up to the T20 World Cup, will be significant.

The decision of a keeper-batsman for T20Is has been challenging for India, especially in Pant’s absence due to a car accident in December 2022. Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson have filled in, but Samson’s performance might have been limited by the sporadic opportunities he received.

Samson’s average of 21.14 in T20Is doesn’t reflect his potential, while Pant has a slightly higher average of 22.70. Both players are aggressive stroke-makers, and the decision could depend on the new team management’s preferences.

Pant’s better keeping skills to spinners might give him an edge, but in T20Is, keeping skills are generally less important. The tough choice between Pant and Samson will likely depend on their performances and the team’s requirements for the series against Sri Lanka.