Sanjeev Kumar
khelja|28-11-2025
This ODI series is very important for Rishabh PantImage Credit source: PTI
IND vs SA: After the India-South Africa Test series is over, now it is the turn of the ODI series. Although, in the current circumstances, this series does not have much importance because the ODI World Cup is far away and the entire focus is on the T20 World Cup. But still, for some players this series is more important than others. Most of the focus is on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma because the speculations about their retirement are not ending.
But amidst all this, this series is most important for Rishabh Pant because it can progress or stop his limited overs career.In this ODI series starting from 30th November, Team India is going without star batsmen like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer. In such a situation, other players have also got opportunities and in this Rishabh Pant Also included. Pant has got a place in the ODI team after the Champions Trophy. However, during this period, Team India played only ODI series in Australia, in which he could not play due to injury. But still this series is important for Pant.
Hit in Test, misfit in ODI-T20I
The thing is that in the last few years, Rishabh Pant has completely confirmed his place in Test cricket but his place in ODI and T20 formats remains under question. After T20 World Cup 2024, he has not been able to return to the team in this format and his return here seems difficult at the moment. In such a situation, he has only ODI format in limited overs and here too his overall performance is not very good, due to which his place is constantly under question.
Talking about ODI cricket, Pant has played a total of 31 matches for Team India in this format, in which he has been able to score only 871 runs in 27 innings.
His average is 33.50 and only one century and 5 half-centuries have come from his bat. However, in ODIs he has been able to play only 1 match in the last two and a half years, in which he scored 6 runs. The reason for this was his accident, due to which he could not play the entire 2023 and half of the 2024 season. Before the accident, he had scored a century on the England tour in 2022 itself.Competition is also strong for Pant
Despite this, this series is important for Pant because at present, the first choice of wicketkeeper for Team India in this format has been KL Rahul, who has been performing amazingly with the bat as well.
At the same time, as a second wicketkeeper, the Indian team also has options like Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel, who can present a challenge to Pant. In such a situation, if the vice-captain of the Test team is not able to show his talent here, then he will be left with the option of playing only one format.
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