Rishabh Pant's Champions Trophy XI chances ‘delayed’ as India find 'left-hander who can bat': ‘Boy, he looked good…’

KL Rahul took the gloves ahead of Rishabh Pant in the first ODI against England but it may be another player who could keep the latter out of the Indian squad.

KL Rahul took the gloves for India in the first ODI against England but it may be Axar Patel's performance in the match that could keep Rishabh Pant out of the squad, according to former batter Sanjay Manjrekar. Axar scored 52 in 47 balls in an innings that flattened England comprehensively in Nagpur.

Nagpur: India's Rishabh Pant during a practice session ahead of the first ODI between India and England, at Vidarabha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak) (PTI02_05_2025_000574A)(PTI)

His innings came as part of a 108-run stand with Shubman Gill which came in just 107 balls. The three-match ODI series against England is precursor to the 2025 Champions Trophy and so chances of squads being maintained going into the tournament is highly likely.

“Before the match started, there was a suggestion from me that maybe Rishabh Pant could be tried only with the Champions Trophy in mind. Plus, India would have a left-hander in the top six or seven. Axar Patel is a great option to have because this is a guy, we have seen him bat in Test matches for India and he has a batter's temperament,” said Manjrekar on ESPNCricinfo.

“Boy, he looked good against spinners (in the first ODI). India have had a problem in the middle overs where they have struggled to find batters who are competent against spin. Because this Champions Trophy is going to be played in our part of the world, there's going to be a lot of spin impact on the games,” he said.

Pant's limited-overs struggles

For a batter known for his aggression, Pant has surprisingly found the going tougher in white-ball cricket than in Tests. The 27-year-old has batted in 75 Test innings but only played 31 ODIs, in which he has scored 871 runs at an average of 33.50 with one century and five half-centuries.

While India have largely tried to fit Pant into the middle order, his only ODI century came when he batted at No.4. "Axar Patel is a terrific option to have in the middle, thereby perhaps delaying Rishabh Pant's chances of coming back in. Now, they have found a left-hander that they can bat in the middle," Manjrekar concluded.