Gautam Gambhir backs KL Rahul as India’s top wicketkeeper for Champions Trophy

India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has confirmed KL Rahul as the team’s first-choice wicketkeeper for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, putting to rest speculation about a possible replacement by Rishabh Pant. Speaking after India's dominant 142-run victory over England in Ahmedabad, Gambhir also addressed criticism surrounding Axar Patel’s promotion in the batting order ahead of Rahul in the recently concluded ODI series.

Rahul, who was preferred over Pant in the England series to maintain team continuity, faced challenges batting at No. 6 in the first two ODIs. His struggles reignited debate among cricket veterans, who argued that Pant might be a better fit for the role. However, in the final ODI, Rahul was restored to his original No. 5 position and contributed a valuable 40 runs off 29 balls, helping India complete a 3-0 series sweep.

Following the match, Gambhir confirmed Rahul’s place in the squad for the Champions Trophy, despite calls for Pant’s inclusion.

"KL is our No. 1 wicketkeeper, and this is what I can say at the moment. Rishabh Pant will get his chance, but at the moment, it is KL who has done well, and we cannot play two wicketkeeper-batters," Gambhir stated during the post-match press conference.

Uncertainty over KL Rahul’s batting position

Although Gambhir reaffirmed Rahul’s status as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper, he remained non-committal about his batting position, even as criticism mounted over the decision to send Axar Patel ahead of him in the lineup.

When questioned about the strategy, Gambhir dismissed the focus on statistics, emphasizing performance under pressure instead.

"We don’t look at averages and stats. We look at who can deliver when," he asserted.

Meanwhile, Gambhir refrained from sharing further details regarding Jasprit Bumrah’s back injury, which ruled him out of the Champions Trophy. The Indian pacer’s absence is considered a significant blow to the team’s campaign, but Gambhir deferred to the medical team for official updates.

"Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out. I cannot give details because the medical team decides in NCA, and they will give (the updates)," he stated.

With India set to begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, the final squad and batting lineup decisions will be closely watched as the team aims for another ICC title.

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