Champions Trophy: Wassan criticizes Gambhir for benching Pant in ODIs
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan has slammed head coach Gautam Gambhir for keeping Rishabh Pant on the bench in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Speaking to ANI, Wassan said such a move could ruin Pant's career.
Wassan's warning comes ahead of India's high-stakes fixture against Pakistan in the ongoing Champions Trophy.
"I am just very upset that Rishabh Pant is not playing. Pant will go from hero to zero if he warms the bench in the Indian team," Wassan warned.
Selection debate
Wassan questions Gambhir's preference for Rahul over Pant
Wassan also questioned why Gambhir always picks KL Rahul over Pant in the 50-over format.
As mentioned, the question comes ahead of India's important group-stage match against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy on February 23.
Despite Rahul's stellar performance in India's opening match against Bangladesh, Wassan feels sidelining Pant could affect his performance.
"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," he noted.
Player impact
Wassan highlights Pant's potential impact on opposition
Wassan stressed on the psychological effect Pant can have on the opposition.
He said Pant's inclusion in the playing XI of the Indian line-up could scare the opponents because of his game-changing capabilities.
"Pant is a mercurial player, whom the other team is scared of. Because they know that he can win matches on his own," Wassan stated.
Career concerns
Wassan warns against potential harm to Pant's career
Wassan further warned that keeping a talented player like Pant on the bench could lead to his downfall.
"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," Wassan concluded.
His comments underscore the importance of consistent game time for players' confidence and performance levels.
Stats
A look at Pants' ODI numbers
The wicketkeeper batter has amassed 871 runs at an average of 33.50. He also boasts a strike rate of 106.21, including one ton and five fifties.
His highest score is 125* which he smashed against England in 2022.
Notably, according to ESPNcricinfo, 484 of his runs have come in Asia at an average of 34.57 (SR: 120.09) including four fifties.
Preview
Confident India to face arch-nemesis Pakistan
As mentioned, the much-anticipated Pakistan vs India match in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will finally take place on February 23 in Dubai.
The high-stakes encounter is expected to attract a lot of global attention given the age-old rivalry between the two cricketing powerhouses.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Pakistan have three wins and two defeats against India in the Champions Trophy. This includes the Men in Green's triumph in the 2017 CT final.