Team India entered into this new T20I era without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. On July 27, India secured the first T20I game against Sri Lanka in Pallekele by 43 runs. The new coach-captain duo had a great start. There were concerns, though. Rishabh Pant was one of them, with his performance at the crease. He scored 49 runs off 33 balls, but his struggle was palpable. This has forced questions as to whether Pant should continue in T20Is.
Rishabh Pant’s recent performance
In terms of stats, Pant looks very ordinary in T20Is. He averages 23.21, with a strike rate of 127.32 in 75 matches. For a good T20 batter, the sum of the average and the strike rate should be 160–170. Pant’s score is 150.53, which is below the mark. His position-wise performance is also not good. Even his recent form is not encouraging. Despite this, he had a good IPL 2024, where he averaged over 40 with a strike rate of 155.40. But international cricket is different. It is played on different pitches around the world, not in India. So should India move on from Pant in T20Is?
Pant faces stiff competition for the wicketkeeper-batter position. His immediate rivals for this slot are Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma, KL Rahul, and Dhruv Jurel. Of these, each has different strengths—KL Rahul has the best numbers, but he hasn’t played T20Is since 2022. He is also 32 years old. Samson is in great form and did well in IPL 2024.
Still recovering
Ishan Kishan and Jitesh Sharma do not lack potential either. Pant’s rivals are not noted for outstanding numbers. All of them, except Rahul, have impact scores in the 150s. Now, the choice becomes tough. Should India persist with Pant or give someone else a chance? Pant had a serious accident in December 2022 and missed over a year of cricket. He just returned to the game; his immediate selection can be debated, but there are reasons for persistence.
His cameos were crucial to India’s victories in the T20 World Cup in 2024. Challenging pitches, but he somehow contributed to it. Pants are also versatile. He can bat from No. 3 to No. 7. Maybe that is why India’s management may want to give him more time to come back into form. But how important is Pant when there are other left-handers on the side in Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh?
Moving forward: Rishabh Pants or a new face?
The case of Pant’s future in T20Is is a case of mixed signals. His numbers scream that he should be replaced, but his competitors don’t have a strong claim either. The recent IPL form of Pant, coupled with the fact that he was the team’s second-highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup, are things in his favor. Now, it is upon the management to make a really tough call: either persist with Pant or opt for a fresh start with either Samson or Jurel on board. That will be a call setting the tone for India’s future in T20.
There has to be a question mark on Rishabh Pant’s place in the T20I squad; the overall numbers are quite unconvincing. Even the recent form isn’t great. But the IPL performance and those crucial contributions during the World Cup make a strong case for him. None of the competitors have overwhelming numbers to their credit either. The team management is stuck between sticking with Pant and moving on from him. The next few games will be crucial in determining his fate in the T20I squad.
