Former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Ian Smith has sparked a new debate by questioning India’s decision to drop Rishabh Pant from the squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 even though the wicketkeeper-batsman was part of their historic championship-winning team in the 2024 edition.
Ian Smith questions Rishabh Pant’s exclusion from T20 World Cup 2026
The renowned broadcaster believes that the Indian cricket team will be missing a rare match-winner at a time when they will need impact players during tough moments in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, starting on February 7 at home and in Sri Lanka.
Rishabh Pant, who last played a T20I for the Men in Blue in July 2024, has slipped down the ladder in the shortest format of the game as players like Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Dhruv Jurel and Jitesh Sharma have since been given priority by the Indian selectors. Even for the upcoming mega event, Samson and Ishan have got the nod as the preferred wicketkeeper-batsmen.
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Rishabh Pant is an amazingly talented player: Ian Smith
Responding to the call, Smith has expressed surprise over Pant being left out of the T20 World Cup 2026, as the left-handed batsman is a cricketer who can change the course of a match in just a few overs, which is invaluable in T20 cricket. He believes that Pant should have been selected in the team.
“I would pick Rishabh Pant in my team any day of the week. I’m surprised Rishabh Pant is not here. He is an amazingly talented player. He can win a match. That’s what you have to do with T20 players. He has to be a match-winner. He is a match-winner,” PTI quoted Ian Smith as saying.
Modern T20 cricket demands balance
However, the former New Zealand wicketkeeper also understands the direction in which modern T20 teams are heading. He pointed out that selection today is all about balance, where players are expected to offer more than just one skill, adding that teams no longer have room for specialists.
The broadcaster further mentioned, “I think all these sides are about balance. You haven’t got room for too many players in your side who have just one discipline. In other words, they either bat or they just bowl. It’s all about finding the mix.”
In that context, Smith feels India’s decision to back Sanju Samson as a top-order option makes sense, adding that he is a first-order batsman who also keeps wickets, which fits perfectly into the current demands of T20. He also highlighted how the role of wicketkeepers has completely changed over the years.
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Why Sanju Samson and the multi-skilled keeper fit perfectly into this plan
Smith further said, “Definitely, now you will find that the wicketkeeper used to bat at number seven. Now he probably has to bat in the top four to be worth his performance. His main strength will be his batting. His second strength will be his wicketkeeping. Teams have got one of those players who can perform equally well with both.”
The commentator also drew comparisons to players like Tim Seifert, who provide equal value with the bat and behind the stumps, saying that such players are extremely valuable as they help teams maintain balance without compromising on any discipline.
He signed off by saying, “New Zealand will eventually rule Tim Seifert out of the BBL. He is equally good as a keeper and a batsman. It is hard to compartmentalize his skills. These types of players are worth gold to you as they help the balance of the team.”
