Rishabh Pant’s route back into India’s ODI setup has become more complicated after the wicketkeeper batter was overlooked for the three match home series against West Indies. Because of his Asian Games commitments, with the selectors instead choosing Dhruv Jurel to provide cover for first choice wicketkeeper KL Rahul, the selection decision comes despite Ishan Kishan’s absence from the ODI squad.
Pant will not have to wait long for competitive cricket. That assignment gives Pant an important domestic platform to score runs and build momentum. He has been appointed captain of the Rest of India side for the Irani Cup against 2025-26 Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir, with Sarfaraz Khan as his deputy. The match is scheduled from October 1 to 5 at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar. However, with Rahul firmly established in the ODI wicketkeeping role and Jurel now preferred as his deputy for the West Indies series, Pant’s next opportunity in India’s 50 over setup is no longer straightforward.
Pant’s recent IPL campaigns have provided mixed returns. India’s ODI squad, led by Shubman Gill with KL Rahul as vice captain, also includes Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Naman Dhir. In 2025, he accumulated 269 runs across 14 innings, with an unbeaten 118 in his final league match standing out as his best effort.
For a player once viewed as MS Dhoni’s successor across formats, the latest development represents another setback in his limited overs career. Pant remains part of India’s Test plans, but his standing in white ball cricket has changed considerably since his return from the serious injuries sustained in his car accident. A Second Straight World Cup In Doubt Pant’s ODI journey has already been interrupted by injury and selection issues. His ODI numbers underline how limited his opportunities have been.
He featured at the 2019 ODI World Cup but was unavailable for India’s 2023 campaign following his car accident. The latest omission means the 2027 World Cup is now another major tournament he could potentially miss. Pant was also absent from India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad after losing his place in that format to Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. The 28 year old made his ODI debut in 2018 and has appeared in only 31 matches, scoring 871 runs at an average of 33.50. His most recent ODI appearance came in 2024. He was selected for India’s 2025 Champions Trophy squad but did not feature in a match.
