Former Indian wicketkeeper and chief selector Kiran More believes that wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will recover from his bad phase in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Pant’s courage and determination will ensure that he makes a strong comeback from this phase that comes in every cricketer’s life.

More’s comment has come when Pant’s bad phase continues. Pant has been stripped of India’s vice-captaincy for the Test match against Afghanistan. Pant has not been given a place in the ODI series.

So far, Pant has scored only 286 runs in 13 matches of IPL 2026, under his captaincy Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are at the bottom of the points table.

More told IANS on Thursday, “I am not disappointed at all. Pant is in the team. I am very happy. He is a fighting player, he has tremendous courage, he has a big heart, and he has done very well by single-handedly winning (Test) matches. I have worked with him very closely. I know him very well.”

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He said, “Every cricketer goes through such a phase. You go through such difficult times. So I think he will definitely make a tremendous comeback, a very strong comeback. When his life was saved, and he came back into the team, he did very well; so this phase (now) is nothing compared to those difficult times.”

Talking about Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who has scored 579 runs in 13 matches for Rajasthan Royals. Praising the 15-year-old, More said, “He is a very special player, and God has created him and sent him here; so I think it is a great thing that they have sent him to India. You will keep seeing him, because he will score a lot of runs in the future. He is a special player for me. But, just let him play cricket freely and do not put too much pressure on him, because he is performing so well at such a young age. I think it all comes down to him. It’s part of the ‘wow-factor’ and I want him to play Test matches, ODI matches and T20 matches whenever he debuts for India.”

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