Reports: Selectors dropped Rishabh Pant to serve him wake-up call for 'weight issues'

Rishabh Pant’s omission from the ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of Australia has surprised many. The youngster, who is being widely seen as MS Dhoni’s worthy successor, made it to the Test side for the tour but has lost his place in the white-ball sides. India are scheduled to play three ODIs, three T20Is, and four Tests in Australia.

While Pant’s performance in recent times didn’t really warranty him a place in the limited-overs squad, he was widely expected to be given a longer rope by the selectors at least as a backup wicketkeeper-batsman in the team. Earlier this year in January, Pant lost his place in the playing eleven to KL Rahul and the latter has fully capitalized on the opportunity.

Rahul kept the wickets in all the eight white-ball games in New Zealand while Pant was warming the bench. His performance in the ongoing IPL has been impressive too while Pant is looking like a pale shadow of his usual self. Interestingly, the selectors have not named a backup wicketkeeper in the ODI squad while Sanju Samson has been named as the backup in the T20I side.

Selectors frustrated with Rishabh Pant

While the cricketing fraternity is busy speculating the reason behind Rishabh Pant’s surprising omissions, reports suggest that the national selectors have grown frustrated over his tendency to put on weight and dropped him from the squads in order to serve a wake-up call. According to the report, the Sunil Joshi-led selection panel was not impressed over Pant’s weight issues.

A senior BCCI official has also said that Pant could still play in the ODIs and T20Is in Australia if the need arises. Whatever be the case, Pant does need to work on his fitness soon and shed the extra weight as quickly as possible to regain his spots in the white-ball formats.

“In any case, all three teams will be there, Pant, if need be, can be added to the squad,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by Times Now.