What is Rishabh Pant's future in the Indian T20I team?

Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar recently shared his thoughts on the upcoming T20I series between India and England, specifically addressing the potential inclusion of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant in India's playing XI. With India set to play five T20Is and three ODIs against England, Bangar discussed the competition for the wicketkeeper's role and pointed out that Sanju Samson has firmly established himself as India's best option behind the stumps in the shortest format. Bangar acknowledged that Pant has been a crucial figure for India in various formats, but emphasized that Samson’s recent performances have made it challenging for Pant to break into the playing XI for the T20I series.

Samson has been in superb form, both with the bat and as a wicketkeeper, leading many to believe that he has earned the spot as India's first-choice keeper for T20Is. While Pant's explosive batting style is undeniable, the competition for the wicketkeeper role in T20Is is fierce, especially given Samson's consistency and impact in recent matches. As India prepares for their series against England, it appears unlikely that Pant will feature in the playing XI for the T20I matches, barring any injuries or changes in team strategy.

"Based on the evidence of the last series, because there is one place for a wicketkeeper-batter, and if a wicketkeeper-batter in Sanju Samson has taken the chances with both hands and performed with such magnitude, it's very hard to have two wicketkeeper-batters in the slot," said former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar in a recent interview. 

"If he is slated to bat in the top three, then certainly yes, but at No. 5 or No. 6, even though he was part of the T20 World Cup winning squad and it was his intelligence which led to that breakthrough for the Indian team, that is the level of competition at this moment in T20 cricket that he may just have to miss out," he added.

During the same discussion, former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta also shared his perspective on Rishabh Pant’s chances of featuring in India’s playing XI for the upcoming T20I series against England. Dasgupta expressed that, in his opinion, Pant would likely make the squad due to his credentials and the impact he has had for India in recent years. However, he also clarified that this didn’t necessarily guarantee Pant a spot in the playing XI for the T20Is.

Dasgupta highlighted the growing competition for spots in the team, particularly with Sanju Samson’s remarkable form in recent times. With Samson excelling as both a wicketkeeper and a batter, Dasgupta pointed out that it would be difficult for Pant to break into the starting lineup for the T20I series unless there were specific changes in the team’s strategy or a need for a different balance. Ultimately, while Pant remains an important player for India, Dasgupta believed that, given the current form of other players like Samson, Pant would most likely be a backup option for the T20I series rather than an automatic choice in the playing XI.