India’s star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been rested for a three-match T20 series against Bangladesh, as the team prepares for a subsequent Test series against New Zealand. Other regular players have also been left out. New additions to the squad include promising talents like Mayank Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy, while Sanju Samson will take on the wicketkeeper role in Pant’s absence. The matches are scheduled for October 6, 9, and 12 in three different cities.
Rishabh Pant, the prominent wicketkeeper-batsman for India, has been rested from the squad for the upcoming three-match T20 series against Bangladesh, which is set to commence on October 6 in Guwahati. Following a successful return to Test cricket—where he marked his return with a notable century in Chennai—Pant will take a break in preparation for a challenging three-match Test series against New Zealand later this month. In addition to Pant, other regulars such as Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, and Khaleel Ahmed have also been excluded from the T20 squad, as they are being primed for the New Zealand series. These players were integral to India’s revamped T20 squad led by Suryakumar Yadav during the Sri Lanka tour. The selection panel has brought in pacer Mayank Yadav, who garnered attention for his performance in the previous season’s Indian Premier League with the Lucknow Super Giants, where he secured seven wickets in four matches. Coach Gautam Gambhir was the mentor of the Giants when Yadav made his break. Moreover, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy rejoins the squad after recovering from an injury that sidelined him during the Zimbabwe T20 series, while left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma returns after missing the trip to Sri Lanka. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy is also making his awaited return to the squad since the T20 World Cup held in 2021. In Pant’s absence, Sanju Samson, who played a pivotal role in India’s T20 World Cup victory in 2024, will assume the responsibilities as the first-choice wicketkeeper. The three T20 matches will take place on October 6, 9, and 12 in Guwahati, Delhi, and Hyderabad, respectively.
The decision to rest Rishabh Pant comes after a fruitful return to international cricket, where he displayed exceptional skill in the Test format. Pant’s performance is crucial for India, particularly with the forthcoming fixtures against New Zealand in the Test format later this month. The overall squad restructuring indicates a strategic move by the Indian selectors to ensure peak performance in the more demanding format following a series of T20 matches. Emphasizing squad management, this move aligns with the need to balance player fatigue and maintain top-tier performance levels across formats.
In conclusion, Rishabh Pant’s rest from the three-match T20 series against Bangladesh emphasizes India’s strategic focus on performance management ahead of crucial Test matches against New Zealand. The reshuffled squad, including debutants and players returning from injury, aims to maintain competitive spirit while ensuring players are fit and ready for upcoming challenges. As India prepares for the series, all eyes will be on how the newly formed team performs without its star keeper-batter.
Original Source: apnews.com
