The decision came when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan. In the revised leadership structure, KL Rahul was appointed as vice-captain while Shubman Gill continues to lead the side as captain. Pant’s removal became one of the key talking points of the squad announcement.
The change was made during a period when Pant was going through a difficult phase in the IPL, struggling both as captain of Lucknow Super Giants and with the bat. Despite his recent white-ball struggles, Pant remains one of India’s most impactful Test players.
The 28-year-old has scored 3,476 runs in 49 Tests at an average of 42.91 and a strike rate of 74.23. In contrast, his ODI average stands at 33.50, while it drops to 23.25 in T20Is. Pant has also not featured in white-ball internationals for nearly two years.
However, his red-ball form has remained strong. Last year, he scored 629 runs in seven Tests at an impressive average of 48.38, including two centuries and four half-centuries, underlining his value in the longest format.
Explaining the decision, Gambhir said the team management fully backs Pant but expects better awareness of match situations. “We don’t want Rishabh Pant to change, but international cricket demands players to respect match situations,” he said.
Pant’s aggressive style has often changed the course of matches, but it has also led to occasional reckless dismissals. One such instance came during the Melbourne Test against Australia, where he was dismissed attempting an unorthodox scoop shot, drawing criticism from former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar.
It will now be interesting to see how Pant responds in the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan, starting Saturday, June 6, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.
