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'Is Rishabh Pant Not Even..,': Chopra Questions Wicketkeeper’s Candidacy For Test Captaincy 

Rishabh Pant to play Duleep Trophy 24-25 [X.com]Rishabh Pant to play Duleep Trophy 24-25 [X.com]

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed his surprise over Rishabh Pant's exclusion from a captaincy role in the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2024-25. 

The senior selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, recently announced the squads for the tournament's first round, which begins on September 5. 

Pant, who has been a standout performer in Test cricket, will be playing under the leadership of Abhimanyu Easwaran, a decision Chopra finds perplexing.

Selected in Abhimanyu Easwaran's team: Chopra

Chopra voiced his disappointment on his YouTube channel, questioning, 

"Rishabh Pant is not a captain. He has been selected in Abhimanyu Easwaran's team. He is playing under Abhimanyu Easwaran's captaincy, which is absolutely okay. However, is Rishabh Pant not even a candidate for Test captaincy? I am a little surprised." 

Rishabh Pant is set to return to red-ball cricket with the Duleep Trophy, marking his first appearance in first-class cricket since his car accident in December 2022. 

Despite an underwhelming IPL 2024, Pant’s record in Tests remains impressive. He is the only Indian wicketkeeper to score centuries in South Africa, England, and Australia, demonstrating his prowess on challenging tours.

Chopra highlighted Pant's role in transforming Test matches with his audacious and fearless batting. His ability to play under pressure and his strategic versatility add significant value to the team. 

However, his recent struggles against spin and in early overs have raised concerns about his consistency in shorter formats.

Duleep Trophy team B squad

 Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, and N Jagadeesan (WK).