Indian selection debates are rarely low-key discussions; they’re usually big-time announcements. The most recent debate is centered around Rishabh Pant, a player who can exist simultaneously in two worlds; he’s vital to India’s Test team success and seems disposable when it comes to their One-Day International (ODI) side. There have been rumors circulating of late that Pant might not even get a chance to play in the upcoming IND v NZ ODI series in January, three matches, which seems less like an issue of selecting the best players for the Indian national team and more like selective memory loss.

 

Numbers That Deserve Context, Not Erasure

 

Strip away the noise, and Pant’s ODI record since 2021 reads far better than public perception suggests. Across just 15 ODIs, he has scored 491 runs at an average north of 35, with a strike rate comfortably above 95, elite territory for a middle-order wicketkeeper.

 

Pant scored an average of 77.5 runs per inning at a strike rate of 150+ in 2021 alone. He scored 336 runs in 10 innings for India, including a single hundred and 2 fifties in 2022, which are not rescue scores but rather stabilizing scores. It is the quantity, not the quality of his scoring, that has to be evaluated. Criticizing Pant solely based on 1 inning of an ODI in 2024 is as unfair as judging a new book based solely on the dedication.

 

Absence Without Failure Isn’t a Crime

 

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Pant hasn’t played enough to be dropped. Since 2024, he’s been selected repeatedly for England (home), South Africa (home), Champions Trophy 2025, yet benched consistently. India won the Champions Trophy without him playing a game, which somehow became an argument against him rather than a neutral outcome.

 

Selection logic usually punishes failure, not inactivity. Pant missed Australia away, sat out South Africa at home, and watched KL Rahul reclaim the gloves. At no point did Pant lose a spot through poor ODI performances. Dropping him now would set a dangerous precedent: that bench time equals disqualification.

 

World Cup Cycles Punish Short-Term Thinking

 

With the 2027 ODI World Cup looming, every series from now on is a rehearsal. India can’t afford to narrow its wicketkeeping options this early. Rahul is first-choice today; that’s fine. But depth wins World Cups, not loyalty charts.

 

While Kishan’s recent form is encouraging, historically, Kishan has done better when batting in the Top Order. The value of Pant is that he can play a counter-attacking middle-order role as well as being a Left-Hand Option for India and remain calm in situations where there is chaos around him. He has been developed since his ODI Debut in 2018, specifically for the purpose of performing in the largest of occasions, and the decision to close the door on him by 2026 will be an example of selecting with Strategic Haste rather than Clarity.

 

While form may be fleeting, temperament at the bigger games can be a very hard currency to come by. Pant has earned that currency. Right now, India doesn’t have to decide on either Kishan or Pant for today’s game; they should allow them both to continue to orbit around each other, allowing the competition to heat up, and hold back from making conclusions before having all of the evidence.

 

Key Takeaway

 

Rishabh Pant isn’t an ODI problem; he’s an unfinished ODI project.

 

FAQs

 

What makes Rishabh Pant’s ODI numbers underrated?

Limited opportunities hide a strong average and elite strike rate since 2021.

 

Why hasn’t Pant played many ODIs recently?

Selection rotation and team balance choices are not consistent with poor form.

 

How does Pant fit into India’s 2027 World Cup plans?

As a flexible, left-handed middle-order option and experienced backup wicketkeeper.

 

Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.

 

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