Rishabh Pant Racing Against Time: From Star Performer to Selection Pressure
Rishabh Pant Racing Against Time: Not long ago, Rishabh Pant played for India across all formats. Now, less than two years later, he is down to just one.
If his struggles continue, he could lose his place in international cricket sooner than expected.
India faces Afghanistan in a one-off Test at New Chandigarh starting Saturday, with Pant set to return as wicketkeeper.
He has held this role for a while, but with recent changes, another weak performance could lead to more criticism.
Rishabh Pant Racing Against Time: From Star to Struggle
Pant's career has been anything but smooth. He first stood out as a T20 batter for the Delhi Daredevils (Now Delhi Capitals) in the IPL, but his form soon dropped off.
The team’s management stayed patient, but they lost confidence during India’s 2024 tour of Sri Lanka.
Rishabh Pant England Tour Record
After that, he found success as an ODI player and went on to score a few more centuries, including a standout one in England.
But his form dropped again. A serious accident in December 2022 kept him out for 15 months and hurt his ODI career, making his future in the format uncertain. He has also been criticised for playing risky shots.
He struggled in Australia in 2024-25, and Sunil Gavaskar called one of his high-risk shots 'stupid, stupid, stupid' when it failed.
Rishabh Pant Failures
Rishabh Pant Test Cricket: Last year, he captained the team in home Tests against South Africa after Shubman Gill was injured, but things got worse. He didn’t score runs, and India lost both games badly, making it a tough period for him.
The Indian Premier League has been difficult for him, too. In the last two seasons, he captained the Lucknow Super Giants but struggled with his batting and couldn’t lift the team.
LSG finished seventh in 2025 and last in 2026, which led him to step down as captain. His relationship with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka also seemed tense, even though Goenka made positive comments in public.
Rishabh Pant Under Pressure
Rishabh Pant Racing Against Time: Pant is feeling more pressure now. The upcoming Test against Afghanistan could be his last chance unless he performs well.
If not, Gautam Gambhir might try Dhruv Jurel in future Tests. Suryakumar Yadav is in a similar situation.
In March, Suryakumar led India to the T20 World Cup title and played a key innings against the United States, but his batting has also declined over the past couple of years.
Like Pant, Suryakumar had a tough 2026 IPL season with the Mumbai Indians. Now, reports say the BCCI is considering removing him from both the captaincy and the team.
The good news is Pant understands his situation and what he needs to do to keep his international career alive. If he bats well, keeps wickets solidly, and takes some good catches, he could get a fresh start.
Gambhir Breaks Silence on Pant's Vice-Captaincy Removal
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke about KL Rahul replacing Rishabh Pant as Test vice-captain.
Fans were left surprised when Pant was dropped as Shubman Gill's deputy in the squad for the Afghanistan Test.
Gambhir, a former India opener, said experienced players like Pant should respect match situations.
Rishabh Pant Poor Performance
Rishabh Pant Racing Against Time: India lost 0-2 in their last Test series against South Africa, and Pant's performance drew criticism. In the second Test in Guwahati, Pant played an aggressive shot and got out, disappointing many fans.
Pant had a tough IPL 2026 season with the Lucknow Super Giants, and then lost his Test vice-captaincy, sparking widespread speculation.
Gambhir on Pant: 'Don't Change, Just Read the Game
Before the Test against Afghanistan, Gambhir said the team management does not want Pant to change, but expects international players to play according to the situation.
According to him, when playing for India, thoughts of vice-captaincy are not entertained only doing good for the country is what matters.
So going from one to the other is only a by-product. At the end of the day, performance is what matters.. Be it me, be it the support staff, be it any player.
Ultimately, that is what international cricket is all about. And as far as Rishabh is concerned, we will expect him to be the way he is," Gambhir told reporters after the match. I think we will tell him to hold back his natural game. But in international cricket, it's very important to play according to the situation.
Players need to read the game, understand what the team needs at that moment, and choose their shots wisely.
Still, no one is being asked to play a completely different style from their natural game, whether it's Test cricket, one-day cricket, or T20 cricket. The main goal is to score runs and take wickets. How you do it is up to you," he added.
Pant Will Get His Fair Chance, Says Gambhir
It's important to understand the situation and read the game. If Pant tries something and it doesn't work in this Test, he will still get a fair chance when his opportunity comes.
The team is not giving one player five Test matches and another just one.
Rishabh Has Not Complained
Rishabh Pant Latest News: On Thursday, Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said Rishabh has not complained about losing the Test vice-captaincy and has had honest conversations with Gambhir.
He also said the team management wants Pant to adapt more to match situations and play accordingly.
"I don't think you need a formal title to be a leader in a team like this. Rishabh understands that, and he's committed to being a good role model and a senior player," the former Netherlands all-rounder told reporters.
Rishabh Pant Comeback
Gambhir also said that Rishabh's brilliance is something that cannot be taken away from the team.
Adjustments to his game, if needed, are expected to be worked on as situations demand.
He's been in great spirits. He's always happy and cheerful, and he lifts the team's mood.
We've had no complaints from him. You wouldn't even notice that his leadership role has changed. So, no concerns about Rishabh, and I can't wait to see him back again," he added.
