India's prominent wicketkeeper-batter, Sanju Samson, was excluded from the 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy announced last week. The selectors opted for KL Rahul, who appears to be the preferred wicketkeeper-batter for One Day Internationals, alongside Rishabh Pant, who recently returned to the fifty-over format during the series against Sri Lanka.

Samson's most recent ODI appearance occurred in December 2023 during the away series against South Africa, while Pant was still in recovery from injuries sustained in a car accident. However, Samson was omitted from the 2024 series against Sri Lanka, coinciding with Pant's return to the format.

Notably, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter boasts an impressive average of over 56 in 16 ODIs to date. Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has voiced his astonishment at Samson's exclusion from the Champions Trophy squad. In a discussion with Switch, Harbhajan remarked that Samson's batting style is well-suited for the ODI format.

“I genuinely feel for him. He consistently scores runs yet finds himself dropped. While I understand that only 15 can be selected, his batting aligns perfectly with the format. With an average of 55-56, it is surprising that he is not even considered as a second wicketkeeper. When the topic of his selection arises, the question is often, in whose place? There are always opportunities to make room,” Harbhajan stated.

Furthermore, Harbhajan also addressed Yuzvendra Chahal's omission, suggesting that the selectors should have included the leg spinner for additional variation.

“Sanju is absent, and so is Yuzvendra Chahal. The selection includes four spinners, two of whom are left-armers. A leg-spinner could have provided valuable variation. Chahal is an exceptional bowler, and it is unclear what he has done to be excluded from this team,” Harbhajan commented.

Thought Yashasvi would open, but…

Harbhajan expressed his belief that Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been selected for his first ODI series against England and the subsequent Champions Trophy, would partner with Rohit Sharma as an opening batsman. However, with Shubman Gill appointed as the vice-captain of the Indian team, this scenario appears unlikely.

"I initially thought Yashasvi would take the opening position, but my perspective has changed. With Shubman Gill serving as vice-captain, he is expected to play. Additionally, Yashasvi is not likely to bat at the number three or four positions, as those roles will be filled by Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer," Harbhajan stated.

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