The Indian Cricket Board announced the squad for the upcoming ODI and T20I home series against Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul were the prominent names who missed out from the T20I squad. However, the exclusion of wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant from both ODIs and T20Is grabbed the most attention.
According to reports, Pant has been sent to the NCA for strength and conditioning before the four-match Test series against Australia. The team management feels he will have a key role to play in the Tests. India need to win three out of four Tests to qualify for the World Test Championship final.
Pant has been heavily criticised for his performances in the white-ball formats. The 25-year-old has failed to cement his place in T20Is even after playing 66 matches in the format. He has scored 987 runs in 56 innings at an average of 22.43 and strike rate of 126.37 having three half-centuries to his name.
The Delhi batter has a better record in ODIs having scored 865 runs in 26 innings at an average of 34.60 and a strike rate of 106.65. He has one hundred and five fifties to his name in the format so far. The southpaw has three half-centuries to his name this year in ODIs.
Ever since the squad was announced, fans were speculating that Pant was dropped. However, later reports confirmed that he’s nursing a knee injury.
India’s squad for India vs Sri Lanka T20I series: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.
India’s squad for India vs Sri Lanka ODI series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.
Meanwhile, Twitter was abuzz with reactions after Pant was not included in the squad. Here are some of the reactions:
Confusion he confusion h with @BCCI after squad vs SL
1. @ImRo45 @klrahul @imVkohli @ShreyasIyer15 @BhuviOfficial @RishabhPant17 dropped or rested #t20is?
2. @SDhawan25 @RishabhPant17 @IamSanjuSamson dropped or rested in ODi?
3. Is @hardikpandya7 stand in or official (C) for T20?— Shubham Anita Verma (@Shubhroxz) December 28, 2022
#RishabhPant plays single handed shots not to show off or for style purposes but to get enough elevation n distance, look at his bat- it remains absolutely straight, what an amazing talent he is.. And #BCCI has not picked him up in Odi n T20- shocked.. pic.twitter.com/gKXgJWc9y3
— THOR (@unlshdbst) December 28, 2022
Bad decision PANT IS SUCH A TALENTED PERSON ….@RishabhPant17 give chance to him every player face some bad performance in his career stats…..call him up for SL match
— A Yadav Kohli (@AYadavKohli1) December 28, 2022
@bhogleharsha bhai sahab apne indian cricket ke liye kya kiya h ye batao , Rishabh pant ko drop kar diya apko to acha laga hoga ,jaada khush mat hona ,pant is our match winner he going to be back in indian team
— Captain Kamal (@CaptainKamal28) December 28, 2022
Rishabh pant >>earth, solar system,universe and multiverse ?
— Rishabh Dabral (@RishabhDabral7) December 28, 2022
It's a shame for Rishabh pant to be compared with pathetic players like KL Rahul… You can compare pant with Sehwag, Gilchrist, Chris Gayle n AB devilliers.. In white ball format he will rule like a king in upcoming times..
— THOR (@unlshdbst) December 28, 2022
I’m just amazed at what’s happened to Rishabh Pant. Hailed for his dare devil batting just a couple of years back, this T20 sensation now neither features in T20s nor ODIs as per the latest team announcements. Only a Test regular now !!
Kuch samajh me nahin a raha hai
???— Bhaskar Bhattacharya (@bhaskar5591) December 28, 2022
Did you forget to Wish @RishabhPant17 bechare ka form kharab ho gaya aapko dekh kar, ab woh Team India seh bhi out ho gaya. Gori mem neh chorre ka career barbaad kar diya. Instead of dropping @klrahul they chose him as 2nd WK & dropped Pant
— libinTmathews (@m_libin) December 28, 2022
I wont be surprised if the selection committee decides to confine Rishab Pant only for Test like Pujara, Mayank. He cannot be our captain. We have some gems like Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson to play white ball cricket.#RishabhPant
— Venky Sriram (@venkysriram17) December 28, 2022
credit rohit sharma n Rahul #dravid for picking #klrahul as a specialist wicketkeeper over Rishabh pant n #samson.so whn a bowler is injured,they will play him as a specialist bowler.if no slot available,then specialist fielder.
— Tushar (@tushar_cal) December 28, 2022
Bad decision to drop pant from odi his record in last 10-15 odi he played is quite astonishing including hundred in England the one who deserved to be drop is kl rahul why bcci is saving him can't understand
— Abhi_179 (@179_abhi) December 28, 2022
