Pant to join India squad late due to VHT commitment

Rishabh Pant will join the Indian ODI squad in Baroda later than the scheduled January 7 assembly date. He has been permitted to delay his arrival to complete his Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) league-stage commitments for Delhi. Delhi's final league match is on January 8 in Bengaluru.

Pant is leading Delhi in the domestic 50-over competition. The team tops Group D with 20 points from five wins in six games, with their only defeat coming against Odisha. Their final fixture is against Haryana. Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh confirmed, "He is very much here and he will play the last game."

In the VHT, Pant has scored 212 runs in six matches at an average of 42.4 and a strike rate of 112.76, including two half-centuries.

Pant has been selected as the second wicketkeeper in the ODI squad behind KL Rahul, a role he has held since the domestic ODI series against England in February 2025. There was speculation that Ishan Kishan might be preferred for the New Zealand ODIs, but the selection committee retained Pant, noting he has not had an ODI opportunity since August 2024. Selectors also considered his commitment to domestic cricket.

Shreyas Iyer will also arrive in Baroda late. He led Mumbai to a victory over Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday and is set to play their final league match against Punjab on January 8. Iyer, the team's vice-captain, is returning from spleen surgery and has been out of action since October 2025; his fitness is being monitored.

The first ODI is on January 11. The team will begin net sessions in Baroda from January 8.