India’s wicketkeeper selection is probably the hardest dilemma for the BCCI Selection Committee. A squad of 15-memebers are to be selected for the ICC T20 World Cup. But there are 3 strong candidates fighting for their spot for the Men in Blue. While Rishabh Pant is the preferred choice, there is a strong fight between Sanju Samson and KL Rahul for the second keeper’s choice in the team.
Ever since his return to IPL 2024, Rishabh Pant has been a force to reckon with. And naturally he is the number 1 choice to don the gloves for the Indian Cricket Team. On the other hand, Sanju Samson and KL Rahul continues to raise the bar in a never ending fight for the second keeper’s spot in the team.
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Both Sanju Samson and KL Rahul offer their unique set of features in the team. Both the players currently lead their respective sides in IPL 2024. Samson’s Rajasthan Royals occupy the top spot in Points Table while KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants is placed 4th on the list.
Coming to the batting output, there is little to nothing to separate between the duo. Samson is second highest run getter in the tournament with 385 runs from 9 games. KL Rahul is placed third on the list with 378 runs under his belt. Samson too, has more fifties (4) compared to Rahul (3) in this tournament so far.
Highest Run Getters in IPL 2024
| POS | Player | Mat | Runs | SR | 50 |
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 9 | 430 | 145.76 | 3 |
| 2 | Sanju Samson | 9 | 385 | 161.08 | 4 |
| 3 | K L Rahul | 9 | 378 | 144.27 | 3 |
| 4 | Rishabh Pant | 10 | 371 | 160.6 | 3 |
But then again, both the batters bat at different positions. While Samson has promoted himself up the order to bat at 3, KL Rahul has been different. Depending on the need of the hour and the injury concerns, he has played as an opener, top order batter and even as a middle order batter.
While KL Rahul offers the dynamic of being a batter who can play at any position in the team, Samson can’t. The RR keeper can also play down the order, but doesn’t possess a greater batting arsenal than his counter part. On the other hand, Samson is a hard hitter while Rahul likes to check on his shots, not going all guns blazing at every delivery.
Editors pick
