The wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will have to join the Indian team later than originally planned for the ODI series against New Zealand that is going to happen soon as a result of his commitment to the ongoing IPL matches and the VHT (Vijay Hazare Trophy) series. The first ODI of the Indian team is scheduled to be in Baroda tomorrow (January 7) and will start from January 11.
But as Pant is now the captain of the Delhi team in VHT, he will stay with the team for their final league match on January 8 against Haryana.
The verification of this event was done by the Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh who told Cricbuzz,
“He (Rishabh) is still here and he will play the last game.”
Delhi has also managed to secure the top position in Group D with five wins out of six matches and 20 points, making it a strong contender for qualification to the next round.
In addition to his captaincy, Rishabh Pant has been one of the outstanding performers in Delhi’s success throughout this season in VHT. The stylish left-hander has scored 212 runs in six matches so far at an average of 42.4 and a strike rate of 112.76 with two fifties along the way.
Will Rishabh Pant miss IND vs NZ games?
Rishabh Pant’s delayed arrival has not deterred the expectations that he will be there for the Men in Blue before the IND vs NZ ODIs starts and will be able to play if selected. However, his appearance in the IND playing XI is still uncertain.
The Kedar Jadhav-led Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 has been recently announced, and Pant, along with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has been dropped. Earlier, Pant was the first choice wicket-keeper for the ICC event and had made a comeback after performing well in domestic cricket.
There were speculations about Ishan’s inclusion for the ODI series against New Zealand, but the selectors went for Rishabh Pant as the backup for KL Rahul.
Also, Pant has not played in the format since August 2024, and although he was part of the Champions Trophy 2025 squad, he did not get to play in any match. Currently, Pant is the main wicketkeeper for India only in Test matches; thus, it is still unclear if the selectors will give him a chance in ODIs against the Kiwis.