Is Rishabh Pant's white-ball career over? Check details

Following the official announcement of India’s squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, widespread debate erupted across the cricketing world. While some fans and experts questioned Shubman Gill’s omission, others pointed out Ishan Kishan’s inclusion, and some expressed concern over Jitesh Sharma being left out. At the same time, Rishabh Pant’s omission also drew significant attention and raised further concerns about his dependability and role in white-ball cricket.

After returning from a long injury layoff, Pant struggled to secure his place in T20Is and ODIs. In ODIs, KL Rahul remains the first-choice wicket-keeper, while in T20Is, Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Dhruv Jurel are in contention. In the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have been selected. In Tests, Pant is the vice-captain, but in white-ball cricket, he appears unlikely to have a place in the team in the near future.

Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Deep Dasgupta feels that Pant’s major problem in T20 cricket is the uncertainty surrounding his role. He questioned whether Pant is confident of his spot in the shortest format and stated that he still considers Pant a top-order batter in T20Is.

“In T20 cricket, is he a top-three batter? Or is he a middle-order batter, or a finisher? What is 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.

Rishabh Pant played his last T20I against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in July 2024, and during the same tour, he also played his last ODI. Since then, he has been an important player in the red-ball format but hasn’t had many chances in white-ball cricket. 

Once, in the 2024 T20 WC, he made significant contributions with both the bat and behind the stumps during India’s title campaign. He was also part of India’s 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 but did not feature in the playing XI. However, at present, he is featuring only in Test cricket. 

For his white-ball comeback, he recently played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi, where he scored 121 runs in 4 innings. He struggled in 3 matches but played a notable 70-run innings against Gujarat. According to Dasgupta, Pant will need to be consistent in the upcoming cricket matches. He emphasised that “consistent scoring runs” is the only way for him to re-establish his place in India’s white-ball squad.

"I think he just needs to bat, and bat. He scored 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.

Based on reports, Pant is likely to miss the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, with team management exploring other options. Ishan Kishan, currently in tremendous form, is expected to feature in the ODI squad after being selected for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Kishan was the leading run-scorer in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with 517 runs in 10 innings, including 2 centuries and 2 half-centuries. Following this, he also scored a century in the ongoing VHT 2025/26, scoring 125 runs in 1 inning.