Is Rishabh Pant’s ODI Career on Verge of an End? How Dhruv Jurel, Ishan Kishan Shape NZ Series Talks

Rishabh Pant is using the Vijay Hazare Trophy to prove his form ahead of the New Zealand ODIs, but inconsistent scores, KL Rahul’s established spot, and in-form rivals Ishan Kishan and Dhruv Jurel put his place in the squad under serious threat.

Indian wicketkeeper-batter and Test captain Rishabh Pant is currently part of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, representing Delhi. Pant’s participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy is according to the directive by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which mandated the contracted Indian players to feature in at least two matches of India’s List A domestic tournament to remain in form and rhythm ahead of the New Zealand ODI series.

However, for Rishbah Pant, the Vijay Hazare Trophy is more than his firm or form-check exercise, as it comes at a time when his place in the ODI setup has been thrown into uncertainty after the reports emerged that he is unlikely to be picked for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting on January 11. Pant’s last appearance in ODI cricket was in August 2024, and since then, he has not played a single match.

Rishabh Pant was picked in the India squad for the England ODI series and the Champions Trophy in February, and in the recently concluded three ODI matches against South Africa in December, but he did not get a chance, as KL Rahul was preferred as a first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in the shorter format of the game.

How Did Rishabh Pant Perform in the Vijay Hazare Trophy?

The ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy is Rishabh Pant’s first competitive cricket since India’s Test series whitewash against South Africa in November. Since there is an uncertainty over his place in the ODI setup, Pant has used this opportunity to showcase his match-readiness ahead of the series against New Zealand. Captaining Delhi, the southpaw was hoping to make a statement with his batting prowess, but was unable to make a significant impact in three matches so far.

In the opening match against Andhra, Pant was dismissed for just 5 runs at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). However, the 27-year-old made a comeback with a fluent 70 off 79 balls to guide Delhi to a respectable total of 254/9 against Gujarat. In the third match against Saurashtra, Pant managed only 22 runs off 26 balls in a high‑scoring chase that Delhi eventually won, highlighting his continued struggles with consistency in the tournament.

Across three matches for far, Pant managed to score just 97 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 32.33 and a strike rate of 85.08, raising questions about his form ahead of the upcoming New Zealand ODI series.

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With India’s squad for the New Zealand ODI series expected to be announced in the first week of January, Rishabh Pant has two more matches to play against Odisha and Services on December 31 and January 3, respectively, to make a final impression and strengthen his case for selection, as the selector evaluates backup wicketkeeper-batter options for KL Rahul ahead of the New Zealand series.

Pant’s ODI Numbers Not So Impressive

Rishabh Pant’s unlikely selection to the India ODI squad for the three-match series against New Zealand could be a reflection of his inconsistent form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and underwhelming ODI record. The 27-year-old has played 31 matches for Team India in ODIs, but could score only 871 runs, including a century and 5 fifties, at an average of 33.50.

Ever since KL Rahul took over wicketkeeping duties after Pant was sidelined for 15 months due to injuries sustained from a fatal car accident on the Delhi-Dehradun Highway on the eve of the New Year in 2022, Pant has struggled to regain his spot as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs. Rahul has firmly cemented his place in the ODI setup not only as a batter but also first wicketkeeper-batter, leaving selectors with no choice but to back him for the New Zealand series.

Rishabh Pant’s performance in the first matches of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy season has further intensified doubts over his ODI future, as inconsistent scores and a lack of big innings have failed to make a compelling case for his inclusion ahead of the New Zealand series.

In the white-ball format, Rishabh Pant has been struggling to find consistency, with sporadic performances in both ODIs and T20Is, making it increasingly difficult to take a strong claim as the first–choice wicketkeeper-batter.

Dhruv Jurel and Ishan Kishan Make Stiff Competition

Rishabh Pant’s spot in the ODI setup ahead of the three-match series against New Zealand is under serious threat, as two wicketkeeper-batters, Ishan Kishan and Dhruv Jurel, have been impressing with their recent domestic performances.

Ishan was recently picked in India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, thanks to his impressive performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he not only led Jharkhand to maiden title win, but also emerged as the highest run-getter of the tournament, amassing 517 runs, including two centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 57.44 in 10 matches. He carried on his momentum into Jharkhand’s opening VHT match against Karnataka, where he recorded the second-fastest century of the tournament and played a blistering knock of 125 off 39 balls.

Dhruv Jurel, on the other hand, gave selectors a big headache ahead of the New Zealand series as he has been in blazing form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy to claim his spot in the ODI squad. Jurel is currently the second-leading run-getter of the tournament, with 307 runs, including a century and two fifties, at an impressive average of 153.50 in three matches. Jurel’s blistering 160-run knock to power Uttar Pradesh to a 54-run win over Baroda has made a case for higher honours.

Given impressive performances by Ishan Kishan and Dhruv Jurel in domestic cricket, Rishabh Pant is in a situation where the selectors are likely to weigh recent form, consistency, and impact in domestic tournaments for backup wicketkeeper-batter options for the ODI series against New Zealand.