Don’t ignore Rishabh Pant: Ex-pacer warns selectors ahead of 2027 ODI World Cup
Former India paceman Irfan Pathan has issued a timely warning to national selectors ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, urging them not to permanently close the door on Rishabh Pant despite the wicketkeeper-batter’s high-profile omission from the latest white-ball setup.
Speaking to JioHotstar on the eve of India’s crucial three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which marks the official start of a two-year build-up cycle to the showpiece event in South Africa, Pathan stressed that while Pant has fallen down the pecking order, his international white-ball career is far from over.The explosive left-hander’s exclusion follows a sustained period of lean form in the shorter formats.
Pant’s struggles were magnified during consecutive underwhelming Indian Premier League (IPL) campaigns for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Bought for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore, he struggled to find consistency with the bat, managing just 312 runs in 14 matches during the 2026 season as LSG finished at the bottom of the table. The mounting pressure eventually culminated in Pant requesting to step down as the franchise’s captain.
However, the dynamic southpaw gave a stark reminder of his undisputed pedigree just days ago in red-ball cricket. Playing in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, Pant found refuge from his limited-overs nightmare, striking a mature, stroke-filled 81 off 121 balls. The innings, punctuated by his trademark audacity mixed with calculated restraint, showed that his match-winning capabilities remain firmly intact.
‘LEARN FROM ISHAN KISHAN’
Pathan believes Pant must channel the frustration of his ODI drop and look to fellow teammates who have successfully negotiated the domestic route back to national recognition.
“KL Rahul is India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs. He has done well at numbers five and six. He is versatile,” Pathan said.
“As a backup, the selectors have brought in Ishan Kishan. Ishan can bat higher up the order and plays the short ball well square of the wicket. That is a smart selection. So, Rahul and Ishan are the two wicketkeeper-batters right now. The third in line should be Sanju Samson. Whenever he has got a chance, he has delivered. We saw that in the T20 World Cup.”
“Now, about Rishabh Pant, my suggestion to the selectors is not to completely ignore him. Yes, he has fallen behind in white-ball cricket. His form has not been great. But look at Ishan Kishan. He was out of the team too, but he used that as motivation. He played domestic cricket, performed well, and led Jharkhand to a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win as captain. Rishabh should take inspiration from Ishan and keep working hard. He should not lose hope of making a comeback in white-ball cricket.”
Pant last played ODI cricket for India in August 2024. He was part of the Champions Trophy squad that won the title in 2025, but warmed the benches through the campaign.
Beyond the wicketkeeping logjam, Pathan also dismissed speculation surrounding the automatic selection of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the 2027 tournament in South Africa, insisting their presence is essential.
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