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Rishabh Pant (Source:@cricbuzz,x.com)
India’s preparations for the ODI series against New Zealand suffered a setback after wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant was ruled out after sustaining a side strain during a net session in Vadodara.
Rishabh Pant was hit on the ribcage while batting in the nets on Saturday. The BCCI later confirmed that he had suffered an oblique muscle tear and would miss the entire three-match ODI series.
Rishabh Pant's injury forces change in plans
Pant's injury came at an unfortunate time. The ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11 at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, was supposed to mark India’s strong start to the year in the 50-over format.
Pant was expected to play an important role in the middle order and behind the stumps. But after medical assessments and discussions with the BCCI medical team, he was ruled out, forcing the selectors to look at their bench strength.
With Pant unavailable, the selectors moved quickly and named Dhruv Jurel as his replacement in the squad. While Jurel’s inclusion was welcomed by many, it also raised a question: why did the team management choose Dhruv Jurel over Ishan Kishan?
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Why BCCI preferred Jurel over Ishan Kishan?
Dhruv Jurel rewarded for outstanding domestic form
The biggest reason behind Dhruv Jurel’s selection could be his exceptional form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Representing Uttar Pradesh, Jurel has been in sublime touch with the bat.
In seven matches, he has scored 558 runs at an average of over 90 with the strike rate of 122.91. His tally includes two centuries and four half-centuries, making him one of the standout performers of the tournament.
| Criterion | Stats |
| Matches Played | 7 |
| Runs | 558 |
| SR | 122.91 |
| Average | 93.00 |
(Dhruv Jurel's recent form in VHT 2025-26)
The star batter is also the leading run-scorer for Uttar Pradesh and has also captained the side, guiding them to the top of the Elite Group B points table with seven wins in seven matches.
Jurel already in the ODI setup
Another important factor is Jurel’s place in the current ODI pecking order. Over the past year, he has been regularly included in India's ODI squads as a backup wicket-keeper.
He was part of the ODI squads for tours of South Africa and Australia, although he did not get a chance to play because Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul were ahead of him.
Despite not making his ODI debut, Jurel has remained in the selectors' plans. His inclusion as Pant's replacement maintains continuity rather than bringing back a player who has not featured in ODIs for a long time.
Ishan Kishan last played an ODI for India in October 2023 against Afghanistan in Delhi, where he scored 47 off 47 balls. Since then, he has not been part of India’s ODI setup. Over time, he appears to have slipped down the order in the 50-over format.
Format-specific planning by selectors
Ishan Kishan was selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. With Sanju Samson being picked as the first-choice wicket-keeper and opener in T20Is alongside Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan fits in as a like-for-like replacement in the shortest format.
From a workload and planning perspective, bringing him back for ODIs does not align with India's current strategy.
The Indian team management has become increasingly clear about keeping formats separate. Players are being groomed and used based on specific formats rather than being shuffled constantly.
Dhruv Jurel, who is not currently part of India’s T20 World Cup plans, fits better into the ODI scheme of things and has been picked for the New Zealand ODIs.
Conclusion
The choice of Dhruv Jurel over Ishan Kishan is not surprising given the form, consistency, and future planning. Jurel's red-hot domestic form, his presence in recent ODI squads, and India's format-specific approach all worked in his favour.
.jpg?type=mq "Gill & GG's Heartless reaction 🥹")
