By Admin 
Wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant is not a part of Team India in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Indian team management has made Sanju Samson and Ishan a part of the squad as wicketkeepers for the World Cup. But before the start of the tournament, former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith spoke in support of Pant. The Kiwi veteran appeared to disagree with the decision to drop Pant from the team.
Let us tell you that Pant was a part of Team India in the last T20 World Cup of 2024. He played all the matches of the tournament, but gradually he was removed from the T20 team. He last played T20 for Men in Blue in July 2024. So let us know what the Kiwi veteran said about Pant.
Disagree with Pant’s decision
Speaking to news agency PTI, Smith said, “I would choose Rishabh Pant in my team any day. I am surprised that Pant is not here. He is a talented player, can win matches. He should be a match-winner. He is a match winner.”
It is right to bring Sanju in the team
While on one hand Smith opposed the idea of keeping Pant out of the team, on the other hand he also supported the fact that it is right to keep Sanju Samson in the team. Otherwise, he was also seen supporting the decision to drop Gill. Smith said that it was right to drop Gill. Now it will be interesting to see how right the decision of dropping Pant proves to be for Team India.
Indian squad for T20 World Cup
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Axar Patel (vice-captain), Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dubey, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakraborty, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh.