In a massive development, the star India National Cricket Team wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against the New Zealand National Cricket Team.
The development of Rishabh Pant being ruled out of the series against the BlackCaps was confirmed by the Dainik Jagran journalist Abhishek Tripathi on Saturday, January 10.
Rishabh Pant set to miss New Zealand ODIs
The 28-year-old Pant has been in the news for a while. Before the squad was announced for the series against New Zealand, it was reported by several media outlets that the selection committee had made the decision to move on from him in 50-over cricket.
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It was reported that Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma, and Dhruv Jurel were in contention to replace Rishabh Pant as the backup wicketkeeper-batsman in the Indian ODI setup.
However, those reports were quashed after the squad announcement as Rishabh Pant was retained as the backup wicketkeeper, with KL Rahul being the first choice.
As Pant was retained, there were hopes of him finally getting the opportunity to feature in the playing XI in the ODI series against the Kiwis. The former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan even picked Pant over KL Rahul in his playing XI.
However, the hopes of Pant playing the series have been dashed. During the practice session on Saturday, Rishabh Pant did a hard grind in the nets and spent a lot of time.
However, during the end stages of the session, Pant was hit by a delivery, and he gingerly walked off the field. Now, it has been reported that the injury is a serious one and he has been ruled out of the New Zealand series.
If you don’t give Pant any chances, then how will he be able to prove? – Irfan Pathan
In a video shared on his official YouTube channel, Irfan Pathan stated that Pant should be given the opportunity to prove himself in ODI cricket.
“Rishabh Pant has fallen behind other wicket-keepers like Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Jitesh Sharma, but he should get opportunities as well, right? KL Rahul has cemented his place as the ODI wicket-keeper, and is quite ahead, but if you don’t give Pant any chances, then how will he be able to prove?” Irfan Pathan said.
The New Zealand tour of India 2026 consists of a three-match T20I series and a five-match ODI series. The BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara will host the ODI series opener on Sunday, January 11, and the second 50-over game will be played at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, Khandheri, Rajkot on Wednesday, January 14.
Meanwhile, the ODI series will conclude with the match at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday, January 18.
Nitish Kumar Reddy should be given more opportunities – Irfan Pathan
Other than Pant, Irfan Pathan also demanded consistent opportunities for Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has been around the squad for a while but hasn’t been playing regularly.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy should be given more opportunities, even if he fails. There are not many all-rounders who can bowl at 130 kmph and can bat in the middle order. Hardik Pandya became the player he is now because he was played regularly for the first 2-3 years. The selectors, the team management, and fans will have to be patient with Nitish Kumar Reddy as well, just like they were with Pandya in the past,” Irfan Pathan added.
Also Read: Rishabh Pant forced to grind hard in nets as Virat Kohli skips practice before 1st ODI vs NZ