Aakash Chopra on Rishabh Pant: Treated Like a Fly in Milk. Why has Rishabh Pant gone missing from India’s T20 plans? Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has raised this concern, and his words have started a serious debate.
Pant’s Role Under Question
Pant was once a regular in T20s and part of the 2024 T20 World Cup winning squad. Yet, he has been absent from India’s setup for more than a year. Chopra feels Pant has been sidelined, comparing it to being “like a fly thrown out of milk.”
Pant’s Numbers Tell a Different Story
Is Pant as inconsistent as critics claim? His numbers suggest otherwise. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, he was India’s third-highest run-scorer with 171 runs from 8 matches. He even hit 51 in a T20 against Sri Lanka soon after.
Career-wise, Pant’s strike rate is 156 with an average of 34 when batting at no. 3. Even lower down the order, he has a strike rate of 140 and an average of 30. These are more than respectable in T20 cricket.
The IPL Factor
So, what went wrong? One reason may be the IPL. Pant was the most expensive player in the auction, sold for ₹27 crore and moved from Delhi Capitals to Lucknow Super Giants.
But things turned sour. His batting form dipped, his captaincy faltered, and the franchise endured a poor season. Pant took most of the blame. Could this IPL slump have overshadowed his international performance?
Chopra’s Bigger Concern
For Chopra, the bigger issue is not just Pant being left out but the silence surrounding it. Why is nobody discussing him? He reminded that Pant was India’s third-highest run-getter in the winning World Cup campaign, yet it feels like he has been ignored.
A Strange Absence
In Indian cricket, every wicketkeeper-batter is usually part of endless debates. But Pant’s absence from conversations is unusual. With the T20 Asia Cup 2025 team showing no signs of his return and the 2026 T20 World Cup nearing, questions are rising.
Future Uncertain
Will selectors take another look at Pant’s proven ability under pressure? Or has India moved on too quickly from a World Cup winner? Pant’s story shows how one poor IPL season can make people forget past success.
Chopra’s words have revived the debate once more. Has Rishabh Pant been treated unfairly, or is this simply the harsh truth of modern T20 cricket where only current form matters?
