India cricket team star Rishabh Pant has reportedly been snubbed from the white-ball formats due to his ‘high-risk’ batting template. The southpaw, who was a part of India’s squad in T20 World Cup 2024, hasn’t found a place in the side for the 2026 edition. Additionally, he has not managed to break into the playing XI in the ODIs despite being picked for the series against South Africa. Ahead of the IND vs NZ ODI series and the T20 WC, a report has shed light on why Pant has been ignored in the white-ball setup.
Reason behind Pant’s exclusion revealed
As per news agency PTI, a report claimed that a certain member from the Indian team management doesn’t like Pant’s high-risk approach and that he would rather like him to display a more traditional style of batting. However, the report stated that dropping the second-choice keeper could raise more questions than providing clarity.
“It is an open secret that at least one member in the Indian team management doesn’t exactly like Pant’s high-risk, high-reward batting template and would like him to employ a more traditional way of batting. But dropping a second-choice glovesman without giving him a fair go could obviously lead to more questions being asked without tangible answers being provided,” the report stated.
Pant last featured in an ODI and T20I for India way back in 2024. Since then, KL Rahul has been preferred as the keeper in the 50-over format while Sanju Samson and jitesh Sharma have been picked ahead of the southpaw in the T20I format. Pant was recently seen in action in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he has managed to score just one half-century in four matches.
While Pant is a regular in Tests and is the vice-captain for the Indian side as well, it is highl unlikely that he will get a chance in the white-ball formats any time soon.
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