Pant, Pandya Omitted From India White-Ball Squads
Pant, Pandya Omitted From India White-Ball Squads
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Key Points
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KL Rahul has been appointed vice-captain of the ODI side in the absence of Shreyas Iyer.
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The T20I squad includes Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav in place of Yash Thakur and Vipraj Nigam, while Kuldeep Yadav also returns to the setup.
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Selectors reportedly acted on feedback from senior members of the team management who felt Pant had not consistently done justice to his talent in white-ball cricket.
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Akash Deep's Irani Cup selection is subject to fitness clearance after a prolonged absence caused by a lower-back stress injury; his last match was against Jammu & Kashmir in February 2026.
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The Rest of India squad includes the previous Ranji Trophy's top two run-scorers, R. Smaran and Ayush Doseja, as well as Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain, who recently played in India's Test series against Sri Lanka.
India has dropped star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and all-rounder Hardik Pandya from white-ball squads for the West Indies series starting September 27, according to Hindustan Times. Pant will instead captain Rest of India in the Irani Cup against Jammu & Kashmir from October 1-5, while Pandya remains sidelined over fitness concerns about bowling his full quota Rediff.
The omissions signal a major squad shake-up ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Dhruv Jurel gets the nod as ODI wicketkeeper, while Nitish Kumar Reddy enters the ODI team to fill the all-rounder gap Outlook India. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the setup after recent absences Sportskeeda.
Pant Benched Over White-Ball Performance Concerns
Selectors have reportedly acted on feedback from senior team management that Pant has not consistently delivered in white-ball formats despite his obvious talent Hindustan Times. The move ends his white-ball run for now, though he remains a key figure in India's Test plans. His Irani Cup captaincy role gives him a chance to reset before potential international recall.
Pandya's Fitness Barrier to ODI Return
Hardik Pandya cannot return to ODI cricket until he proves he can complete a full 10-over bowling stint, selectors have reportedly made clear Rediff. His recent fitness issues have raised doubts about his durability in the longer format. This fitness demand explains why Nitish Kumar Reddy steps in as the primary seam-bowling all-rounder for the West Indies ODI series.
Debutants and Rohit's Return Reshape ODI Squad
The squad welcomes Naman Dhir and Auqib Nabi as debutants, according to Outlook India. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli rejoin the setup after their recent gap. KL Rahul has been named vice-captain following Shreyas Iyer's omission. The T20I squad adds pace bowlers Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav, while Kuldeep Yadav makes his comeback Sportskeeda.
Pant Captains Rest of India in Irani Cup Showdown
Rishabh Pant will lead the Rest of India against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu & Kashmir in the Irani Cup from October 1-5 at Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar, according to Hindustan Times. Sarfaraz Khan serves as vice-captain. Fast bowler Akash Deep has been included pending fitness clearance after a lower-back stress injury sidelined him since February 2026 Rediff.
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