'I Am Not Trying To Compete With Or Play Like Rishabh Pant': KL Rahul In CT 2025
KL Rahul acknowledged the pressure of competing with Rishabh Pant for India's ODI wicketkeeper spot but emphasized he won't mimic Pant's style.
KL Rahul admitted the pressure of competing with Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper spot in India’s ODI team but said that till the time he is preferred, he won’t try to play like the left-hander. Rahul was speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand.
Pant was seen as India’s first-choice ODI gloveman till his horrific car accident in December 2022. In his absence for over a year, Rahul took the chance and scored consistent runs at number five, including in the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. The debate has reignited since Pant’s return, though Rahul has managed to hold onto his place so far, which is being helped by the former’s modest ODI record too.
related stories
- 'Whatever Rohit Has Told...': KL Rahul Responds To Questions Over His Spot In India's ODI XI
- Will Arshdeep Singh-Rishabh Pant Get A Go Against New Zealand? KL Rahul Answers
- Will Rohit Sharma Miss India's CT 2025 Clash Vs New Zealand? KL Rahul Issues Big Update
- Axar Patel: From Journeyman To India's Man Friday In White-Ball Cricket
“There is (competition), I won’t lie," Rahul said of Pant in Dubai. “He is a very talented player and has shown all of us what he can do and how aggressively he can play and how quickly he can change the game. So there is always a temptation in the team with the captain and the coach to think if they should play him or play me. For me, whenever I get the opportunity, I try and see what I can do best. I am not trying to compete with Rishabh. I am not trying to play like him, or I am sure when he gets a chance, he is not trying to play like anybody else. He is picked on the basis of how he can play, and the same applies to me," he added.
Pant is yet to get a chance in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Rahul rode his luck to score an unbeaten 41 against Bangladesh in India’s campaign opener and didn’t get a chance to bat against Pakistan in the next match.
The clamor over Pant is not just because of his obvious talent. It’s also because India head coach Gautam Gambhir has shown a preference for left-right-hand combinations in the middle order, often promoting all-rounder Axar Patel for that, which has pushed Rahul to number six.
Both scenarios suit Pant but again, Rahul has kept his place by not doing much wrong. He also has had the public backing of skipper Rohit Sharma and the coach.
- Location :
- First Published: