Former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith recently expressed his belief that Rishabh Pant should have been included in Team India’s squad for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup. The talented wicket-keeper batter last played a T20I match during the Sri Lanka tour in 2024, following India’s triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Pant’s return to the T20I squad came after a successful 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign, where he showcased his skills after recovering from a car accident. However, a series of underwhelming performances, along with the emergence of other wicket-keeper batters like Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma, led to Pant being sidelined.
The left-hander’s lackluster display in the 2025 IPL season for the Lucknow Super Giants further diminished his chances of making the national squad. Scoring 269 runs at an average of 24.45 and a strike rate of 133.17, Pant failed to make a significant impact.
Ian Smith expressed his surprise at Pant’s exclusion from the Indian squad, stating, “I’d pick Rishabh Pant in my team any day of the week. He is a wonderfully gifted player. He can win a match. That’s what you’ve got to have with T20 players. They’ve got to be match-winners.”
Initially, Team India had Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson as their wicket-keeping options. However, Ishan Kishan was brought back into the mix at the last minute, replacing Sharma following his impressive performances in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Looking ahead to the 2026 T20 World Cup, Ian Smith believes that Team India have a strong chance of defending their title, considering their familiarity with the home conditions. He also highlighted Suryakumar Yadav and company as favorites for the tournament, emphasizing the team’s recent dominant form.
Team India is currently engaged in a T20I series against New Zealand to fine-tune their preparations and finalize their combinations before the tournament kicks off on February 7. As they aim to become the first side to win the T20 World Cup thrice and the first to successfully defend the title, expectations are high for the Men in Blue.
In conclusion, Rishabh Pant’s absence from the Indian squad has raised eyebrows, with Ian Smith advocating for his inclusion based on his match-winning abilities. With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, Team India will be looking to build on their recent success and make history in front of their home crowd.
