Rishabh Pant’s absence from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad has once again brought the spotlight on the uncertainty surrounding his future in white-ball cricket. According to several reports, Pant is also unlikely to be selected for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
After returning from a long injury layoff, Pant has struggled to firmly cement his place across formats. While he currently serves as India’s Test vice-captain, competition for spots in the limited-overs setup has intensified.
KL Rahul has established himself as India’s first-choice ODI wicketkeeper, while Dhruv Jurel and Ishan Kishan have risen through the ranks and strengthened their claims.
Former Indian cricketer Deep Dasgupta believes Pant’s biggest challenge in T20 cricket is a lack of clarity regarding his role. He questioned whether Pant himself is fully certain about where he fits in the shortest format. Despite these concerns, Dasgupta emphasised that he still views Pant as a top-order batter in T20Is.
"In T20 cricket, is he a top-three batter? Or is he a middle-order batter or is he a finisher? What's he? He needs to answer these questions. As far as I am concerned, he is a top-three batter in T20I cricket. In ODIs, he is a good No.4 or No.5," said Dasgupta to India Today.
Pant has begun rebuilding his case through domestic cricket and recently played a fighting knock of over 70 runs for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Dasgupta stressed that consistent run-scoring is the only way forward for the left-hander if he wants to re-establish himself in India’s white-ball setup.
"I think he just needs to bat, and bat. He got an excellent 70-odd for Delhi. He just needs to keep scoring runs, playing white-ball cricket wherever he gets the opportunity - domestic or otherwise - and learn his trade, learn what suits him," Dasgupta said.
As per reports, Pant is expected to miss out on selection for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, with the team management exploring alternative options. His likely omission could open the door for Kishan, who has impressed with strong domestic performances for Jharkhand. With competition intensifying, Pant will need to produce consistent and standout performances to regain the selectors’ confidence.
