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Ishan Kishan has a golden opportunity to make a strong statement, while Rishabh Pant finds himself under pressure as India begin their preparations for the ICC World Cup 2027. The battle for the backup wicketkeeper-batsman has intensified with KL Rahul being the first choice player for the role.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Ishan has grabbed the opportunity with both hands and has made a comeback into the team’s plans, but feels Rishabh Pant should not be forgotten and can make a strong comeback if he returns to top form.
Irfan Pathan supports Ishan Kishan as race for ICC World Cup 2027 begins
The Indian cricket team will be without two experienced stars, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya, who are both out of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan due to injuries. In his absence, Ishan Kishan is expected to be one of the biggest players.
Irfan Pathan believes that KL Rahul, one of the unsung heroes of Indian cricket, remains India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman in the 50-over format due to his consistency and ability to bat at different positions. He also believes that Ishan is an ideal backup option due to his aggressive style and flexibility at the top of the order.
Irfan Pathan praised the smart selection of Indian selectors
The former all-rounder also backed Sanju Samson as another strong contender and said he has made good use of the opportunities he has got and should remain in India’s plans.
“KL Rahul is India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs. He has done well at number five and six. He is versatile. The selectors have brought in Ishan Kishan as a backup,” Irfan Pathan said on JioHotstar.
“Ishan can bat higher up the order and play the short ball well square on the wicket. It is a smart selection. So, Rahul and Ishan are the two wicketkeeper-batsmen right now. The third position should be Sanju Samson. Whenever he has got a chance, he has done well. We saw it in the T20 World Cup.”
Pathan urges selectors not to ignore Rishabh Pant completely
As far as Rishabh Pant is concerned, the left-handed batsman has not played any ODI match for almost two years, which has made things really uncertain, especially due to his poor form. Even Rishabh Pant was recently reprimanded for making repeated mistakes in Tests.
But Pathan urged the Indian selectors not to ignore Pant completely, citing Ishan’s successful comeback through strong domestic performances for Jharkhand.
Pathan said, “Now, about Rishabh Pant, my suggestion to the selectors is not to ignore him completely. Yes, he has lagged behind in white-ball cricket. His form has not been good. But look at Ishan Kishan. He was also out of the team, but he used it as motivation. He played domestic cricket, performed well and as captain led Jharkhand to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.”
Notably, the first match of the three-match ODI series between India and Afghanistan has not started in Dharamsala due to incessant rain. If the match cannot start before 6:30 pm, the match official will take a decision on the second ODI to be held in Lucknow on June 17.
