NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant’s form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy has been inconsistent, with just a single half-century in four matches. However, dropping him for the upcoming New Zealand series without giving him even one ODI in the past 18 months could be seen as a harsh decision by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee.

The Indian selectors are set to announce the squad for the three-match ODI series against the Black Caps, starting January 11 in Vadodara, and speculation continues over whether Pant will retain his place in the team.

It is widely known that at least one member of the team management is not fully comfortable with Pant’s high-risk, high-reward batting style and would prefer him to adopt a more conventional approach.

Yet, leaving out a second-choice wicketkeeper without giving him a fair opportunity is likely to raise more questions than answers.

In 2025, Pant did not play a single ODI, even though he was part of the Champions Trophy squad and was included in the series against South Africa last month.

Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad, a specialist opener, was tried at No. 4, while Pant remained on the sidelines for all three games.

Pant has featured in only 31 ODIs since his debut in 2018. A combination of bad luck and his batting philosophy has meant his opportunities came in two distinct phases.

He played 11 matches between June 30, 2019, and January 14, 2020, before COVID-19 interrupted cricket worldwide. His most productive period came post-COVID, when he played 15 ODIs from March 26, 2021, to November 30, 2022, before suffering a serious car accident.

During this phase, Pant scored one century, two scores above 75, and one 85 in 15 innings.

Since returning in 2024 after his accident, he has played just a single ODI in Colombo, which also happened to be head coach Gautam Gambhir’s first assignment.

Pant’s form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has been modest, with just one notable score of 70 in four matches, while Ishan Kishan has already hit 14 sixes in Jharkhand’s opening game against Karnataka. Even Dhruv Jurel scored a big century for Uttar Pradesh and featured in the last ODI series.

Although the tracks at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru were not ideal batting conditions, that cannot fully excuse early dismissals in the 20s. Despite this, Pant’s experience and ability still put him a step ahead of Jurel.

With three wicketkeepers potentially in a 15-man squad, it becomes a luxury. KL Rahul remains India’s primary batter-wicketkeeper, so it will be intriguing to see if Kishan is picked at the expense of either Pant or Jurel, both of whom are yet to get a game.

Another name likely to spark discussion is Devdutt Padikkal. The young opener has been in sensational form, averaging over 92 across 37 games with three centuries in four matches this season.

However, with Shubman Gill returning as captain, Rohit Sharma at the other end, and Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting for a longer run, finding space for Padikkal at the top of the order looks challenging.

Gaikwad, playing at No. 4, took the spot that normally belongs to vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, who is currently injured. Padikkal has done nothing wrong, but unless an additional specialist top-order batter is added, it will be difficult to accommodate him in the squad.

Bowling combinations

Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya are expected to be rested from the ODIs ahead of the T20 World Cup. Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, who are also part of India’s T20 setup, could once again be in contention.

There is also buzz around veteran Mohammed Shami making a potential comeback after the Champions Trophy, though it remains to be seen if the selection committee wants to go down that path.

The spin department, featuring Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav, appears largely settled for the series.

(With PTI Inputs)