Team India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is reportedly not in the national team’s plans for the One Day International (ODI). The team management and head coach Gautam Gambhir are unlikely to consider the left-handed batsman even for the role of backup wicketkeeper in the 50-over format.
Pant suffered the injury during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 in England. The southpaw was ruled out of the fifth Test and the two-match home Test series against the West Indies. He led the India ‘A’ team in the first unofficial Test against South Africa ‘A’, where the team won by three wickets.
Rishabh Pant is not in India’s plans for ODIs
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Rohit Juglan said that KL Rahul is the first-choice wicketkeeping option for the national team in ODIs, with Dhruv Jurel likely to be the backup. Juglan further said that Rishabh Pant is not part of the team management’s current plans in the 50-over format.
Juglan said, “If you look at the ODI setup right now, KL Rahul is already the primary wicketkeeping option. So, I think if you continue with KL Rahul there, you can also start preparing a backup and at the moment, that name is Dhruv Jurel. He will probably be next in line. As far as Rishabh Pant is concerned, I think his place in the ODI setup looks a bit difficult right now.”
KL Rahul’s status as wicketkeeper-batsman unlikely to change with India’s support
Juglan said India have invested heavily in KL Rahul, making it difficult for the selectors to consider a change behind the stumps. He said Rahul has been India’s favorite wicketkeeper and only a major dip in form can prompt the management to reconsider its decision.
Juglan further said, “The reason is simple. India have invested heavily in KL Rahul over the last two and a half years. He had taken wickets during the 2023 World Cup, before that in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and even on the Australia tour. So, it is unlikely that they will suddenly replace him unless there is a huge dip in Rahul’s form.”
Rishabh Pant likely to return in T20Is as Sanju Samson’s backup wicketkeeper
Rohit Juglan also said that Rishabh Pant can only return as a backup option in T20. He said Pant was India’s wicketkeeper before the last T20 World Cup, but he is not currently a part of the national team’s white-ball format.
“Also, KL’s work with DRS is much better, which further strengthens his case. So, I don’t see any sudden changes happening any time soon. If Rishabh is fit, he can only make a comeback as a backup wicketkeeper in T20s. Sanju Samson is already a contender there. Rishabh had kept wickets before the last T20 World Cup, but he is no longer a regular part of India’s T20 plans.”
Pant was a member of India’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2024. The left-handed batsman has scored 1,209 runs in 76 T20I matches at an average of 23.25 and a strike rate of 127.26, including three half-centuries, with a best score of 65.
Pant has scored 871 runs at an average of 871 runs in 31 ODI matches. 33.5 more Strike rate of 106.21. He was also included in India’s Champions Trophy winning team. However, he did not feature in any of the matches, as KL Rahul took over the wicketkeeping duties throughout the tournament.
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