Rishabh Pant’s below-par VHT 2025-26 returns raise doubts over his ODI readiness — will India’s management explore other options?
As India’s selectors look ahead to upcoming ODI assignments, including the home series against New Zealand and the broader 2027 World Cup cycle, Rishabh Pant’s name no longer carries the inevitability it once did in the 50-over format. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, long viewed as a game-changer across formats, has struggled to build a convincing ODI narrative – a reality underlined by his underwhelming returns in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025-26.
VHT 2025-26: Missed opportunity
Pant entered the Vijay Hazare Trophy as the Delhi captain, with the tournament widely seen as a direct audition for ODI selection. While there were moments of promise, they never quite added up to a sustained statement.
His standout innings came against Gujarat, where he scored 70, displaying intent and fluency but falling short of converting the start into a decisive, match-defining knock. In contrast, Delhi’s opening match against Andhra Pradesh proved emblematic of his struggles: Pant managed just five runs, while Virat Kohli carried the batting with a century.
Across the tournament, Pant’s batting remained intermittent rather than influential. His strike rotation was uneven, big innings were absent. His leadership did bring calm to Delhi’s campaign, but his personal returns did not separate him from the pack – a critical factor in a format where selectors increasingly prioritise clarity of role and consistency.
Read More: Jurel smashes 160* against Baroda in VHT 2025-26; Opens third angle for reserve WKB slot in ODIs?
ODI context: Time away from middle
His extended absence from ODI cricket magnifies Pant’s domestic inconsistency. His last actual ODI appearance came on August 7, 2024 against Sri Lanka in Colombo, where he scored 6 runs. Since then, he has been named in India’s squads – including the Champions Trophy (mid-2025) and the South Africa ODI series in December 2025 – but did not play a single match.
This pattern has kept Pant close to the setup without offering him meaningful match exposure. In the meantime, selectors have leaned increasingly towards KL Rahul and more recently Ishan Kishan, both of whom provide clearer role definition and recent white-ball rhythm. The shift suggests that Pant, for now, is no longer the default ODI wicketkeeper-batter.
His ODI record has always been serviceable rather than commanding, with 871 runs in 27 innings at an average in the low 30s. Crucially, he has played only one ODI in the last three years, making it difficult to build momentum or trust around his role in the format.
Legitimate concern for Pant
The doubts surrounding Rishabh Pant’s ODI prospects are grounded in structural realities rather than short-term reaction. India’s white-ball selection philosophy has increasingly leaned on recency and rhythm, with tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy functioning as direct auditions for ODI roles.
Pant’s inability to consistently dominate that stage in VHT 2025-26 has therefore worked against him. Compounding the issue is his limited exposure at the international level despite squad inclusions – being part of the Champions Trophy and South Africa ODI squads without playing kept him within the setup, but did not provide selectors with fresh evidence. Crucially, competition is no longer theoretical. Ishan Kishan’s aggressive returns and Dhruv Jurel’s steady domestic white-ball progression have given India viable alternatives whose form curves are easier to trust in the present moment.
Read More: Ishan Kishan slams fourth-fastest century in men’s List A cricket, coming in at no. 6 for Jharkhand
What Pant must prove quickly?
For Pant to re-establish himself as more than a backup option in India’s ODI plans, the path forward is demanding but clearly defined. He must begin by converting starts into big, repeatable innings in List-A cricket, particularly in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where selection narratives are now shaped.
Beyond volume of runs, Pant needs to rediscover the strike-through power and situational control that once set him apart, especially against quality pace during the middle and death overs. Equally important is demonstrating sustained sharpness behind the stumps and peak physical readiness through regular match minutes, not just squad presence. Until those boxes are decisively ticked, Pant’s ODI case will remain more aspirational than compelling.
Conclusion: Challenging road ahead
Rishabh Pant remains one of India’s most gifted batters, but ODI selection is increasingly about evidence, not reputation. His below-par VHT 2025-26 returns, coupled with a long gap since his last ODI appearance, do little to strengthen his claim at a time when competition is fierce and clarity is prized.
Until Pant strings together authoritative List-A performances that align with India’s current ODI needs, selectors are likely to continue viewing him as a secondary option. The talent is unquestioned – but in 50-over cricket, time and form are now working against him, not in his favour.
Read More: VHT 2025-26, Day 1: From crowds cheering Rohit in Jaipur to Virat quietly doing work in Bengaluru
