IND vs AFG: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squads to face Afghanistan in a one-off test and a three-match ODI series. There were a few notable changes in the squads for both teams. Rishabh Pant would feel like he has been hard done by. The wicketkeeper batter not only lost his spot as the back-up wicketkeeper in One-Day cricket but was replaced as the vice-captain of the test team as well. Pant, who has arguably been the most consistent batter in the longest format for the Indian team in the last few years, was replaced by KL Rahul as the vice-captain of the test team. It is believed that Pant lost his spots in both squads owing to poor returns in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with Lucknow Super Giants.
Why Did Rishabh Pant’s Poor IPL 2026 Season Hurt His India Selection Chances?
Rishabh Pant’s poor returns as a captain in the ongoing IPL 2026 have hurt his chances in the Indian team. Pant has captained Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026, where they became the first team to be eliminated from the race to the playoffs. In 12 games in the league stage, LSG have won only four matches while losing eight, and are currently languishing at the bottom of the points table.
Meanwhile, Pant’s numbers with the bat in hand are not inspiring for a selection in the ODI team. The left-handed batter has scored only 251 runs in 11 innings, averaging only 27.88 while striking at less than 140.
Why Did Rishabh Pant Lose India’s Test Vice-Captaincy Ahead Of IND vs AFG Series?
Rishabh Pant was replaced as the vice-captain of the test team by KL Rahul. The wicketkeeper batter has reportedly lost the trust of senior officials in the BCCI. It is believed that Pant’s performances tend to go down when given the extra responsibility. The left-handed batter is a match-winner for the Gautam Gambhir-coached team. With a tough lineup of test matches ahead of the Indian team, Pant’s role as a batter will play a huge role as they attempt to make the final of the World Test Championship 2027.
Gautam Gambhir: I was removed and Virat Kohli was made vice-captain. Has a vice-captain ever been removed while the captain stayed?
Since Gambhir took over as India’s head coach Pandya, Axar Patel, and Rishabh Pant have all lost the vice-captaincy pic.twitter.com/xn1OGCMj5M
— Gaurav (@Melbourne__82) May 19, 2026
Since the announcement of the squad from the BCCI, a clip of an old interview with Gautam Gambhir has gone viral. The current Indian head coach had talked about how he was replaced as the vice-captain of the team during his playing days, even though the captain remained the same. Now, Shubman Gill has retained his spot as the captain of the team, while Pant has been replaced by KL Rahul.
It is believed that senior officials in the BCCI do not believe in Rishabh Pant as the captain, looking at his returns with Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. The wicketkeeper batter’s performance with the bat in hand also deteriorates when he is leading the side. Given how Pant is a vital cog in India’s test team, it is possible that the BCCI and the team management believe that Pant’s best comes without any added leadership pressure.
Also Read: India Announce Squad To Face Afghanistan In Test & ODI
How is Ishan Kishan Overtaking Rishabh Pant in Team India Race?
Rishabh Pant, for long, had been looked at as a back-up to KL Rahul in One-Day cricket. The left-handed batter brings another dynamic to the Indian team. The current lineup of batters is mostly right-handers, with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul making up the top five. Among the all-rounders, Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy, too, are right-handers.
However, Pant has now been replaced by Ishan Kishan in the ODI squad. The left-handed batter has been named in the One-Day squad following a splendid campaign in the T20 World Cup, where he played a pivotal role in Suryakumar Yadav’s India winning the title for a record third time in history. In the ongoing IPL 2026, Ishan Kishan has been one of the top-performing batters for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Kishan, in 13 games this season, has scored 490 runs, striking at close to 180, while averaging 37.69.
India Squad vs Afghanistan
India Test Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (VC), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Dhruv Jurel
India ODI Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
