Rishabh Pant He is likely to lose his job as vice-captain of the India national cricket team in Tests after flopping as both a batsman and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain in the IPL 2026 season. Both Pant and LSG struggled badly this season, with the franchise making an early exit from the playoffs.
India national cricket team The Maharaja Yadvendra Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh is all set to host the Afghanistan national cricket team for a one-off Test from June 6, which will be followed by a three-match ODI series. The ODI matches are scheduled for 14, 17 and 20 June.
Rishabh Pant faces a leadership setback after IPL 2026 struggles
Indian selectors will reportedly meet in Guwahati on Tuesday (May 19) to choose the Test and ODI squads for the upcoming home matches. series against Afghanistan, and most of the discussion is likely to revolve around Rishabh Pant and his role in the team.
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It is being said that most of the core will be retained for the Afghanistan Test, but some changes may be seen in the ODI team. Well, Pant’s place in the Test team is not in danger, but his position as vice-captain looks uncertain now. Top officials are reportedly considering removing Pant from the leadership team as it is affecting his decision-making ability and consistency.
Concern about captaincy, affecting Rishabh Pant’s form!
The left-handed batsman is known for his fearless batting, but there is a growing feeling within the system that the extra responsibility is not bringing out the best in Rishabh Pant’s natural game. And this was evident during his two terms Lucknow Super Giants In IPL.
Apart from his failure at LSG, Pat also failed to impress the selectors and team management with his tactical skills and on-field moves when he was given the responsibility of leading India against South Africa in the Guwahati Test in November last year.
However, despite the Indian wicketkeeper’s struggles, there is no questioning his value as a batsman. He is one of India’s biggest match-winners in Test cricket, someone who can change a game in a single session, so they don’t want to lose such a match-winner because of leadership.
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We can’t afford to lose match-winning batting: BCCI on Rishabh Pant’s struggles
PTI quoted a BCCI source as saying, “Indian cricket cannot afford to lose a batting match-winner like Rishabh. He has won Test matches with his aggressive batting and has established himself. There is a growing feeling among people that whenever he is handed additional responsibility, he does not take good decisions while batting. Giving him a chance to play freely may be foremost in the minds of the selection committee.”
Speaking about ODI, KL Rahul He remains the first choice wicketkeeper in the 50-over format and now there is stiff competition for the second position. Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are all in the race and each of them have made a strong case for their performances. This has reduced Pant’s chances of playing in ODIs, especially considering his form with the bat in IPL 2026.