No Rishabh Pant In T20Is? Reasons Why India Might Never Select LSG Captain

Debashis Sarangi

Rishabh Pant played his last T20I in 2024 [Source: @The_Tradesman1/X]Rishabh Pant played his last T20I in 2024 [Source: @The_Tradesman1/X]

On Sunday, IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered yet another defeat, as Punjab Kings (PBKS) swatted them aside by 37 runs in a high-scoring affair at HPCA stadium. This marked LSG's fourth defeat in the last five games, further jeopardising their chances for qualifying into the playoffs. 

Captain Rishabh Pant has been a massive failure for LSG in the IPL 2025, letting the team down in the tournament. As questions continue to get raised over his IPL future, here are three reasons why India might never recall Pant into their T20I setup. 

Poor Record In T20Is After So Many Chances

  • Rishabh Pant has played 76 T20I matches for India. He has batted on 66 occasions, scoring 1209 runs at a modest average of 23.25 and a strike rate of 127.26. 
  • These numbers are certainly mediocre as per the accepted standards of modern-day T20 cricket. Thus, despite establishing himself as a vital cog in the Test side, Pant has never been impressive in T20Is and might not get a recall into the team.

Horrible Form In IPL 2025

Criterion
Data
Innings10
Runs128
Average12.8
Strike Rate99.22

(Rishabh Pant's stats in IPL 2025)

  • LSG skipper Rishabh Pant has failed to live up to the expectations with the bat this season. Although he has registered one fifty-plus score, Pant has aggregated only 128 runs, averaging a mere 12.8 and striking at an abysmal rate of 99.22 in the IPL 2025. 
  • The BCCI recently rewarded Rishabh Pant in its central contracts, promoting him from grade B to grade A, anticipating his potential return to ODIs and T20Is. However, Pant's IPL failure has raised question mark over his batting form, putting his white-ball future in serious doubt. 
  • Thus, given that he has been horrendous with the bat this season, the BCCI selection committee might not recall him for T20Is. 

No Dearth Of Talent In India

  • While Sanju Samson has already cemented his place as the first-choice keeper-batter in India's T20I setup, the likes of Ishan Kishan and Dhruv Jurel have also auditioned for thev reserve wicketkeeper's slot. 
  • Punjab Kings' latest batting sensation Prabhsimran Singh has also presented a strong case for a maiden T20I call-up, having showcased remarkable consistency in the IPL 2025. In 11 innings, Prabhsimran has slammed 437 runs at an average of 39.73 and a strike rate of 170.04. 
  • Thus, given that his contemporaries are performing much better than him, Pant might just have played his final T20I for India.