On September 16, 2026, the BCCI announced the Team India squad for the upcoming white-ball series at home against the West Indies. One of the biggest talking points was the exclusion of Rishabh Pant from the India ODI squad.
India will play three ODIs and three T20Is against the West Indies. However, with several first-choice Indian players away in Japan for the Asian Games 2026, it was expected that some fringe players might get a chance in the Indian squad.
One of those expectations was Rishabh Pant getting a call-back to the ODI squad as a backup keeper with Ishan Kishan away in Japan. However, Dhruv Jurel was picked over Pant as second keeper behind first-choice KL Rahul for the three ODIs.
Rishabh Pant last played an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2024, his first since December 2022, when he was involved in a serious car accident. Since then, KL Rahul has been the first-choice keeper, with Ishan Kishan being the second keeper.
Instead, the BCCI chose Rishabh Pant to captain the Rest of India team in the Irani Cup 2026 game against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.
Pant could’ve been a good choice to fill Shreyas Iyer’s spot in the Indian ODI lineup, and he could’ve also made up for Axar Patel’s absence as a left-hander in the Indian top order.
However, reports have stated that Rishabh Pant was left out of the India squad for ODIs against the West Indies due to his limited impact in white-ball cricket with the bat. The decision was taken after taking feedback from Indian team management.
According to a report in the PTI, Pant was not picked, as the selectors were swayed by the "feedback from the important members of the team management," who felt that the batter "hasn't done justice to his phenomenal talent when it comes to white-ball cricket."
While Pant has been excellent in Tests with 3725 runs in 52 games, at an average of 43.82 with 8 centuries and 21 fifties. However, in ODIs, Pant has 871 runs in 31 games at an average of 33.50 with one century and 5 fifties.
Even in domestic cricket, Pant made a return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy after a seven-year absence as the Delhi captain in the 2025/26 season, scoring 212 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 112.76 with two fifties.
Dhruv Jurel, meanwhile, was the fifth-highest run-getter in the last Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament, scoring 558 runs in seven innings at an average of 93. He hit two centuries and four fifties.
This exclusion from the India squad for the West Indies series has made sure that Rishabh Pant might not be in contention for the 2027 ICC World Cup, but at 28, doors might still be open for the 2031 edition that will be partly played at home.
