India’s CT XI: No Pant, Samson Top Choice In Team Picked By Harbhajan 

Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh pondered over India’s wicketkeeping option in the side’s playing XI for the Champions Trophy 2025, starting February 19 in Pakistan. The India squad for the ICC event is yet to be announced. January 12 was the deadline set by ICC for the teams to submit their squads, but BCCI has sought a one-week extension. Ahead of the team announcement, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has shared his opinion regarding who should be the wicketkeeper in playing XI.

“Sanju Samson is my choice. Sanju Samson would be the first-choice,” Harbhajan told YouTube channel ‘Switch‘.

Picking a wicketkeeper for the playing XI is a dilemma that India need to address. Rishabh Pant was considered to be the hot pick in the department before a life-threatening accident in 2022 kept him out of action till 2024. During that period, India tried out many players in the position but never got the satisfaction or confidence. Since Pant made his return, Sanju Samson has become a hot prospect in the white-ball format.

After Rohit Sharma retired from T20Is, Sanju grabbed the opportunity with both hands. While opening for India in the shortest format of cricket, he showed his class against Bangladesh on home turf with a century.

The experienced batter then went on to etch his name in the history book by becoming the first batter to tonk three centuries in T20Is in a calendar year.

Recently, Harbhajan also shared his views on India’s spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel. He felt the southpaw is ready to fill in Ravindra Jadeja’s shoes for India.

Jadeja, an all-rounder who has delivered in all spectrums of the game for years, is now facing a scenario where he could be axed from the squad. With the recent surge of Axar Patel, there are high chance that only one out of the two could be on the plane to Dubai. If such a scenario arises, Harbhajan wants Axar to be in Dubai with the Men in Blue ahead of the seasoned all-rounder.

(With ANI Inputs)