3 reasons why India should have picked Sanju Samson over Rishabh Pant for IND vs SA 2025 ODIs

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the 15-man squad for the upcoming home ODI series against South Africa on Sunday, November 23. The three-match affair is scheduled to begin on November 30 in Ranchi as the Men in Blue look to bounce back after their recent long-format losses.

Some major changes were expected in the squad, largely due to Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer's injuries. While the batting department largely remains intact from the Australia tour, the selectors have retained Dhruv Jurel, while Rishabh Pant also returns after recovering from his fractured foot.

However, amidst all of this, Sanju Samson continues to be ignored in the ODI setup. The wicket-keeper batter is yet to make a single appearance since his match-winning ton in the series decider in South Africa in 2023. Despite an average of 56.67 and a strike rate of 99.61, he is yet to avail a decent run in the 50-over squad.

Team India squad for ODIs against South Africa: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (C) (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel

On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why India should have picked Sanju Samson over Rishabh Pant for IND vs SA 2025 ODIs.

#1 Rishabh Pant has no notable white-ball cricket on his record compared to Sanju Samson

The last time Rishabh Pant played competitive white-ball cricket, it was during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), which was a forgettable campaign for him. As far as his last ODI appearance is concerned, it was in August 2024, which remains his solitary match in close to three years.

As a result, over the last few years, the wicket-keeper has hardly played any white-ball cricket except for the Indian Premier League (IPL), where his numbers have been ordinary compared to his potential. It has been a significant while since he has looked convincing over a consisent period in white-ball cricket. The selectors realised the same, and he was off the T20 squad shortly after the World Cup win, but still somehow remains part of the ODI setup.

On the other hand, you have Sanju Samson, who almost exclusively plays white-ball cricket round the year. Whether it be for Team India, Kerala, IPL, or even the Kerala Premier League recently. He is a candidate who in good rhythm, perhaps more so at the top of the roder, but not too shoddy in the middle order as well.

To choose a player just off the basis of his red-ball numbers, and potential reputation in white-ball cricket over an in-form candidate like Sanju Samson, who is in the thick of things, is a diabolical decision to say the least.

Samson was not considered for the Australian tour since the selectors do not view him as a middle-order candidate despite that being his primary position in ODIs to date. Moreover, he is currently featuring in the T20I in the very same position, whether it be the Asia Cup or the recent Australia tour.

#2 Sanju Samson could have used some time in the ODI middle order ahead of a T20I heavy season

Sanju Samson is someone who is unfotunately fighting tooth and nail just for a spot in the Indian T20I batting order through no fault of his own. He was taken off his favored opening slot despite racking up some serious numbers and milestones, and asked to excel in a completely different position out of nowhere.

With the wicket-keeper clinging on to his spot amid some intense competition by the specialist Jitesh Sharma, he could have used some game time in the middle-order during the South Africa ODIs to have a better chance at retaining his spot, atleast in the middle order.

However, now with Samson not part of the ODI squad, he will find it harder to compete with Jitesh Sharma, who is on the rise. Although the format is different, the Kerala glovesmen could have benefitted, atleast from a confidence perspective to keep up with his counterpart.

Samson is already lagging behind after losing his spot midway through the Australian tour, while Sharma is posting serious white-ball numbers with the India 'A' setup.

#3 India need someone with better temperament to replace Iyer rather than a X-Factor

The conversation of a second wicket-keeper being in the playing XI is only being brought upon due to Shreyas Iyer's injury and unavailability, as well as Axar Patel's absence. The key players, who have been the backbone of the ODI middle order of late, not being there, has led to a massive void in the middle-order.

With stand-in skipper KL Rahul expected to feature in the heart of the middle-order before the all-rounders, there is a spot for another batter to bolster the unit. Considering that India are essentially looking to add someone with Iyer's virtues in the batting line-up, someone who understands the tempo of ODI cricket well, takes on spin, and can adapt to situations and conditions, Pant is not the answer.

Rishabh Pant, with his flair, aggression, and unpredictability comes across as a major X-Factor and a match winner on his day, rather than someone who is consistent, as evidenced by his ODI record to date. Samson, on the other hand, on the sporadic chances that he has availed in the ODI setup, has shown the traits India are currently looking for in Iyer's absence. Just because he is not a left-handed batter, or is not young enough to fit the transition narrative, or is not a pet project, are not good enough reasons to sideline a player of his calibre.