Ahead of the upcoming home series against Afghanistan, the BCCI selection panel will meet to discuss several topics regarding the Indian team. One major item on the agenda of their meeting will be Rishabh Pant, and a report has suggested that the keeper-batter will be relieved of his Test vice-captaincy.
The national selectors meet in Guwahati on Tuesday to select Test and ODI squads for the series against Afghanistan.
There is a growing sentiment that the leadership role doesn’t suit the 28-year-old Pant, as two seasons with the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL are plenty of evidence. Not to be overlooked is Pant's lack of tactical acumen when he was given captaincy during a Test match against South Africa in Guwahati in November in Shubman Gill's absence.
"Indian cricket simply cannot afford to lose a batting match-winner like Rishabh. He has won and set up Test matches with his aggressive batting. There is a growing feeling among men who matter that whenever he has been entrusted with additional responsibility, he doesn't seem to make good decisions while batting. Giving him an opportunity to play freely could be foremost on the minds of the selection committee," a BCCI source told the PTI.
The selection committee may have sleepless nights due to Pant's current form, since his position as the second wicketkeeper in the ODI setup behind KL Rahul is still up for debate. In terms of a 50-over setup, Pant might feel the heat with Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan in the ranks.
After the home series against Afghanistan, India is set for the tour of the UK, where they will play 2 T20Is against Ireland and 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is against England.
And keeping that in mind, the BCCI selection panel, along with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, will have an informal discussion about the future of Suryakumar Yadav.
Yadav has struggled with the bat ever since he took over as India's captain in July 2024. His future as India captain will also depend on the inputs received by Gautam Gambhir, the Indian team head coach.
It will be challenging for him to maintain his spot in the team as a batter on his own if he is removed from captaincy.
Giving him a chance to lead against England and Ireland and making a decision about his future based on his batting performance in those series is the safest course of action, but there is currently no assurance that the selectors will follow that route.
(PTI inputs)
