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    STUMP VISION                                                              MAY 29, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 44

                                            Is Rishabh Pant’s

                           Test Future Secure Despite

                                  Leadership Demotion?

              Selectors and former players insist Rishabh Pant remains central to India’s red-ball plans even as

                    questions grow after his removal as Test vice-captain and exclusion from the ODI squad.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                 based on the IPL.”
                                                                                                          Kaif went even further, calling Pant India’s
            Mumbai
                                                                                                       biggest Test match-winner with the bat.
                  he debate around Rishabh Pant has in-                                                   “There is no bigger match-winner for India in
                  tensified  after  India  removed  him  as  Test                                      Tests, as a batter, than Rishabh Pant,” he said.
            Tvice-captain and dropped him from the ODI                                                    That endorsement underlines how highly Pant
            squad for the Afghanistan series. Yet, amid crit-                                          is still valued within Indian cricket circles despite
            icism over his IPL form and leadership struggles                                           the recent leadership setback. At 28, Pant remains
            with Lucknow Super Giants, India’s selectors and                                           younger than several senior players in the squad
            former players appear united on one point: Pant’s                                          and still represents a long-term investment for In-
            future in Test cricket remains secure.                                                     dia’s Test future.
                The announcement of India’s squads for the                                                The leadership reshuffle itself may also reflect
            one-off Test and three-match ODI series against                                            tactical thinking rather than a loss of faith. With
            Afghanistan triggered immediate scrutiny. Pant                                             Shubman Gill beginning his tenure as Test captain,
            lost the vice-captaincy role to KL Rahul, while                                            selectors may have preferred the experience and
            wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan returned to the                                           calmer presence of Rahul as deputy. Rahul, now
            ODI setup ahead of him.                                                                    34, is one of India’s most senior batters and has
                For many observers, the decision looked like a                                         previously led the side in multiple formats.
            significant downgrade in Pant’s standing. But chief                                           Still, Kaif questioned the consistency of In-
            selector Ajit Agarkar strongly rejected suggestions                                        dia’s selection logic. He pointed out that selectors
            that Pant’s Test place was under threat.                                                   cited age concerns while moving away from veter-
                                                                                                       an pacer Mohammed Shami, yet continued back-
            “Rishabh’s an incredible Test player,”                                                     ing Rahul despite him being only slightly younger.
                                                                                                          “Either go by form, regardless of age, and if
            Agarkar said while announcing the squads.                                                  you are scoring runs or taking wickets, you should

            “We want him to become the best Test                                                       get picked,” Kaif argued. “Because I think Rish-
                                                                                                       abh Pant deserved to continue as vice-captain.”
            player that he’s always been. I don’t think                                                   The  criticism  reflects  a  broader  uncertainty
            there’s any concern with his spot in the                                                   over India’s transition phase after years dominat-
                                                                                                       ed by senior stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat
            Test team.”                                                                                Kohli. The Afghanistan Test squad suggests India
                                                                                                       are preparing for a generational shift led by Gill,
                Those comments reflected a larger reality in                                           Yashasvi Jaiswal and a younger core of players.
            Indian cricket: Pant’s reputation in Test matches                                             In that transition, Pant occupies a fascinating
            remains vastly different from perceptions of his   Rishabh Pant plays a shot during the Indian Premier League   middle ground. He is experienced enough to be in-
            white-ball form.                                                                           dispensable yet young enough to remain central to
                Over the last several years, Pant has built a   2026 match against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur (ANI)  India’s next era.
            reputation as India’s ultimate red-ball disruptor.                                            Importantly, selectors do not appear ready to
            Whether it was his counterattacking century at   come central to the current debate. Pant’s recent   reduce his role in red-ball cricket. Pant remains
            Sydney, his match-winning heroics at Brisbane,   struggles have come overwhelmingly in white-ball   India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in Tests ahead of
            or his aggressive strokeplay in England, Pant   cricket and the IPL rather than in Tests. In the   Dhruv Jurel, and his aggressive batting still offers
            transformed the role of a modern Test wicket-  ongoing IPL season, he managed only 286 runs in   something few others in world cricket can replicate.
            keeper-batter.  Even  when  technically  flawed,  he   12 innings at an average of 28.60, while Lucknow   India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in
            changed games in sessions rather than days.  Super Giants endured a disastrous campaign and   Mullanpur may not carry the intensity of an En-
                Agarkar pointed specifically to Pant’s perfor-  finished near the bottom of the table.  gland  or  Australia  series,  but  for  Pant  it  could
            mances in England before injury interrupted his   The  poor  season  inevitably  intensified  criti-  still become symbolically important. After weeks
            momentum.                                    cism of his captaincy and batting temperament.   dominated by discussions about captaincy losses
                “He had a really good tour of England till he   Yet former India batter Mohammed Kaif argued   and white-ball omissions, the match offers him an
            got injured,” Agarkar said. “I’m sure he’d like a   that the backlash ignored Pant’s unique value in   opportunity to reassert what Agarkar and Kaif in-
            few more runs, but he’s always been very good in   the longest format.                     sist remains true: that regardless of temporary set-
            Test cricket.”                                   “Red-ball and white-ball cricket are two very   backs, India still see Pant as one of the pillars of
                That distinction between formats has be-  different formats,” Kaif said. “You are judging him   their Test future.

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