Sanju Samson, the better ‘batter,’ wicketkeeping where Rishabh Pant levels MS Dhoni, says Kaif

With regards to the ICC Champions Trophy, Rishabh Pant is expected to pip Sanju Samson when it comes to the squad selection.

In a few hours, the India cricket team’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy will be out. We’ll get to know who are the two wicketkeepers that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has gone with. KL Rahul is virtually confirmed, and from the looks of it, Rishabh Pant will be the second, and Sanju Samson, if included, would perhaps be in the reserves.

Rishabh Pant ahead in Tests

For former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif, the decision won’t be that easy. He feels that Pant, for all his talent, has been overtaken by Samson in white-ball cricket. He raved on about the southpaw’s impact in Test cricket and hailed his knocks in Brisbane and Cape Town.

“Sanju Samson has gone ahead. You have to understand this. With Rishabh Pant, people have their emotions attached. He is a big match-winner in Tests. Who can forget his knock at the Gabba and the hundred in South Africa? He performs well in overseas conditions,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Pant, MS Dhoni level wicketkeeper?

The player known for his fielding compared the two when it comes to glovework. For him, Pant was way ahead of Samson, who hasn’t been wicketkeeping for Kerala in red-ball cricket due to his hamstring injuries over the last couple of years. He even compared Pant to MS Dhoni when it comes to prowess behind the stumps.

“He is a good wicketkeeper. Rishabh Pant is a better wicketkeeper than Sanju Samson; he has almost reached the same level as MS Dhoni,” Kaif added.

Sanju Samson over Pant in white-ball

Samson, however, clears Pant when it comes to batting in white-ball. Although neither has played a lot of ODIs in the past 15 months, Samson has usurped the southpaw in the shortest format. Will they play a role in Samson’s selection in the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy? Kaif didn’t weigh too much on that but simply presented arguments for both.

“However, when batting is concerned, I think Sanju Samson has gone ahead of Rishabh Pant. He has been batting incredibly well. He smashed centuries for fun in South Africa (T20Is), hitting more sixes than fours. He has the ability to hit sixes. He has become consistent,” he concluded.