- Despite the presence of captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami in the squad, former India legend Zaheer Khan has called this player the X-factor of Team India’s victory in the mega event.
Champions Trophy 2025: Team India has been announced for the Champions Trophy 2025. The BCCI selection committee announced the 15-member team on January 18 for the Champions Trophy 2025 to be played in Pakistan, in which Rohit Sharma was made the captain and Shubman Gill the vice-captain. At the same time, Rishabh Pant was included in the squad as a backup wicketkeeper. Team India will start its campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20 under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, but before that Zaheer Khan has revealed the name of the player who will emerge as an X-factor player.
This player was called X-factor
Former left-arm fast bowler of Team India, Zaheer Khan said about Pant on Cricbuzz that,
“You definitely include a player in the team who is an X-factor and in this team he is Rishabh Pant. You include an X-factor in the team every time. Pant is a determined player, so your expectations from him are very high. If Pant is included in the playing XI, then he is expected to capitalize on these opportunities and perform impressively. He hopes that Pant will definitely perform well for India in the ICC Champions Trophy (Champions Trophy 2025).”
Zaheer Khan on can Pant make a difference for the Indian team in the Champions Trophy: [Cricbuzz]
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 24, 2025
"Rishabh Pant is an X-factor player in your team, it's going to be an added advantage all the time". pic.twitter.com/LoEZ6syarR
There is a glimpse of Sehwag in Pant- Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan compared Cricbuzz wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant with former opener Virender Sehwag and said,
“The way Sehwag used to bat fearlessly, Pant also bats in the same way. Like Sehwag, he also likes to bat freely on the field, which is good for Team India.”
Zaheer has been appointed as the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants this year, while Pant will be the new captain of LSG. On this, Zaheer said that I hope Pant will perform better for Lucknow this year. I have been watching him since the time he came to Delhi Capitals after Under-19. He has all the qualities to become the captain of India, he can become a better captain in the future.
Pant got a chance in the Champions Trophy
Rishabh Pant was included in the 15-member squad as a backup wicketkeeper on January 18, but before the team announcement, there were reports that Sanju could be given a chance, but captain Rohit Sharma and the chief selector thought it better to go with Rishabh Pant. However, whether he is the first choice of the team management as a wicketkeeper or not will be known only in the first match against Bangladesh (Champions Trophy 2025) on February 20.
But it seems difficult to give preference to Pant over KL because KL has established himself as a wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs, while Pant is still struggling to establish himself in ODIs. If the team management wants to go with a left-right combination, then only Pant can get a chance in the playing XI, otherwise he may have to spend the entire tournament (Champions Trophy 2025) only on the bench.