'Rishabh Pant will go from hero to zero': Former India cricketer questions Gautam Gambhir's call to back KL Rahul as wicketkeeper-batter

'Rishabh Pant will go from hero to zero': Former India cricketer questions Gautam Gambhir's call to back KL Rahul as wicketkeeper-batter
KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant in frame

Story Highlights:

Atul Wassan pointed out that India let Bangladesh back in the game.

Wassan is not convinced with the decision to bench Rishabh Pant.

Wassan wonders what everyone sees in KL Rahul.

Former India medium pacer Atul Wassan has questioned head coach Gautam Gambhir for backing KL Rahul ahead of Rishabh Pant in the ODIs. Pant hasn't played a single ODI since the Sri Lanka tour. He wasn't given a chance on the ODI series against England as KL Rahul has been the preferred wicketkeeper-batter in the side. Despite Rahul's unbeaten 41 against Bangladesh in India's Champions Trophy 2025 campaign opener, Wassan feels Pant should play ahead of the 32-year-old. 

"You let Bangladesh score 228 runs after they were 35/5. Big teams will eat you up if you let them do that. Gautam Gambhir is picking his own team. I am just very upset that Rishabh Pant is not playing. I don’t know why. What is going on? Pant is a mercurial player, whom the other team is scared of. Because they know that he can win matches on his own," Atul Wassan told ANI.

 

 

 

"KL Rahul is a great player. But I don’t know what they see in him that he is playing Test matches, ODIs, and everything. Rishabh Pant is on the bench now. This is how you ruin players. If you put a good player in a situation where he keeps thinking whether he will play or not, that player will go from hero to zero," the former cricketer added.

 

 

Pant, Rahul's ODI comparison

Pant ahas played 31 ODIs so far and scored 871 runs at an average of 33.50. The southpaw has one century and five half-centuries in the format. His strike rate is impressive at 106.21.

On the other hand, Rahul has scored 2,944 runs from 76 innings at an average of 48.26. He has seven centuries and 18 half-centuries in the format. His strike rate is 87.74.

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Wassan wants Pakistan to win against India

Meanwhile, Wassan wants Pakistan to beat India in their next Champions Trophy group stage encounter. 

"I want Pakistan to win because it will make the rest of the tournament more exciting. If Pakistan plays well and wins, there will be a real contest," Wassan said.

 

 

"It's like Amitabh Bachchan-if he keeps punching the enemies nonstop, there's no fun in watching it. I hope Pakistan makes a comeback; it will be good for the tournament," he added.

 

 

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The mother of all battles will take place in Dubai on February 23.