New Delhi : Rishabh Pant may have lost India’s Test vice-captaincy and his place in the ODI squad, but chief selector Ajit Agarkar has made it clear that the wicketkeeper-batter’s red-ball future remains completely secure. After India’s squad announcement for the Afghanistan series, Agarkar insisted there were “no concerns” regarding Pant’s place in the Test setup despite his recent struggles in white-ball cricket.
Pant was one of the biggest talking points from India’s latest squad announcement after being removed as Test vice-captain, with KL Rahul taking over the role under new captain Shubman Gill. Pant was also dropped entirely from the ODI squad as the selectors continued reshaping India’s white-ball plans.
Speaking at the press conference after announcing the squad, Agarkar stressed that the selectors still view Pant as one of India’s most valuable Test cricketers.
“Rishabh is an incredible Test player. Obviously, he is not part of the ODI squad at the moment,” Agarkar said.
“We want him to become the best Test player that he has always been. I don’t think there is any concern with his spot in the Test team,” Agarkar added.
Agarkar also explained that India’s ODI setup is currently moving in a different direction with other wicketkeeping combinations being prioritised.
“As far as ODI cricket is concerned, at this point, we have gone with two different options,” he said.
WHY WAS RISHABH PANT AXED AS TEST VICE-CAPTAIN?
Pant’s removal as Test vice-captain appears to be part of a larger leadership reset under India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill.
With Gill still leading the side, the selectors have now handed the vice-captaincy role to the far more experienced KL Rahul, who remains one of the senior-most figures in the dressing room across formats.
The leadership snub, however, does not reflect any loss of faith in Pant’s actual Test value.
Even after suffering an injury during the England Test series, Pant still enjoyed a sensational 2025 season in red-ball cricket. Across seven matches and 13 innings, he scored 629 runs at an average of 48.38 and a strike rate of 77.75, including two centuries in the Leeds Test against England along with four fifties.
Those numbers remain one of the biggest reasons why India still views Pant as one of their most important Test cricketers despite the white-ball setbacks.
Pant’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, though, did little to strengthen his leadership case at the time of selection.
The wicketkeeper-batter managed 251 runs in 12 matches and struggled to produce the kind of impactful white-ball performances that could have reinforced his standing in India’s broader leadership plans.
More importantly, the selectors currently seem keen on simplifying Pant’s role and allowing him to focus entirely on rediscovering his strongest format again.
Agarkar’s comments strongly hinted towards that direction when he said India wants Pant to become “the best Test player that he has always been.”
Despite the leadership snub though, Pant remains firmly part of India’s long-term Test plans because of his proven ability in overseas conditions and his game-changing impact in red-ball cricket.
WHY WAS PANT DROPPED FROM INDIA’S ODI SQUAD?
Pant’s absence from India’s ODI squad has been building gradually over the last 18 months.
While he remained around India’s setup during ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand last year, injuries and inconsistent white-ball performances slowly pushed him down the pecking order.
The comeback of Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson’s strong T20I performances and KL Rahul’s stability as India’s first-choice ODI wicketkeeper have made competition significantly tougher.
The only realistic route back for Pant was through a strong IPL season.
But his 251-run campaign never really gave selectors enough reason to alter their current combinations. Beyond just numbers, selectors also evaluate team balance, conditions and long-term World Cup planning, especially regarding players suited for South African conditions during the next ODI World Cup cycle.
And right now, Pant simply does not appear to fit that planning as strongly as the others.
The biggest signal came from the fact that selectors still preferred Ishan Kishan despite there being room for another wicketkeeper-batter in the setup.
For now though, India’s management clearly continues viewing Pant very differently in Test cricket.
