Pant’s current form has also made his place in India’s ODI plans less certain. With KL Rahul currently ahead in the pecking order, Pant’s position as a second wicketkeeping option is no longer secure. Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are all in contention, making the competition tighter.
As PTI quoted a BCCI source saying, the concern is not Pant’s talent but how leadership may be impacting his batting decisions.
“Indian cricket simply cannot afford to lose a batting match-winner like Rishabh,” the source said, adding that freeing him from additional responsibility could be among the selectors’ key considerations.
The management is believed to want Pant focused solely on batting, particularly in the longer format where he remains a proven match-winner.
