Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant reportedly requested leave after meeting with skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid upon his arrival in Dhaka from New Zealand. There were no COVID-19 or disciplinary issues.
After consulting with the medical staff, the statement issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding Pant’s release from the Bangladesh ODI squad referred to his absence as an unidentified injury.
He should be back in time for the two-game Test series that starts on December 14.
As per a report by Cricbuzz, the Delhi-conceived player highlighted in the nets for a day before he held chats with the administration over the possibility of a leave.
After the conclusion of the first one-day international in Dhaka, Team India vice-captain KL Rahul was questioned about Pant’s sudden departure from the team.
The precise nature of Pant’s request for leave has not yet been made clear. Nevertheless, it is certain that neither a potential COVID-19 infection nor any disciplinary issues played a role in the decision.
It should be noted that the management did not look for a replacement after Pant left the team.
Since Ishan Kishan is in the team and Rahul took over glovework in the first game of the series, there is no need to add another wicketkeeper.
Axar Patel, among other subjects, is expected to be available for selection shortly after missing the first One-Day International. The all-rounder was hit in the ribs while batting in the nets, according to the report. Shahbaz Ahmed, a fellow left-arm spinner, took advantage of the opportunity to play in Patel’s absence from the playing XI.
It appears that Mohammad Shami’s participation in the upcoming Test series is still uncertain. Due to a shoulder injury, the right-arm pacer was unable to play in the ODI series. He is currently attending the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Before deciding on a potential replacement, management at the NCA is awaiting feedback from coaches.
Rishabh Pant is losing his grip on his position as first-choice wicketkeeper in Team India’s white-ball squad
Rishabh Pant is losing control of his position as Team India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in white-ball matches. Despite being touted as the obvious successor to MS Dhoni, the daring left-handed batsman has struggled recently to score runs.
Pant’s numbers prior to the T20 World Cup 2022 have also been significantly below standard, despite a forgettable tour of New Zealand.
The Delhi-born player is unanimously chosen for red-ball cricket, but he faces fierce competition from Sanju Samson, Rahul, and Kishan for a place in the limited-overs lineup.