Rishabh Pant has been named in the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad, but it will be Ayush Badoni who will continue to lead the side when they take on Saurashtra in Rajkot from January 23. Pant, being a senior player, was offered the captaincy by the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) for the next round of Ranji Trophy games, but he politely refused it, stating that it would be unfair on Badoni and other Delhi teammates, if he suddenly joined the team for a round or two and started leading the side.
Pant called up DDCA president Rohan Jaitley to confirm his availability for this penultimate round of Ranji Trophy group league games, following which he was named in the shortlist. Pant has led Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and he is also seen in certain quarters as a potential India captain going ahead in the longer format. However, he showed maturity by turning down this offer. It can’t be overlooked that he put Delhi’s team environment ahead of personal gains. This could have been an opportunity to enhance his leadership credentials.
Virat Kohli has also been included in the squad, though his participation remains subject to availability. Interestingly, Kohli had suffered a neck niggle during the Sydney Test against Australia and was treated by the Indian team’s doctor/physio at the venue.
On Thursday, the BCCI introduced a 10-point guideline for India’s contracted men’s players to “promote discipline, unity, and a positive team environment.”
A crucial point in the document is the mandatory participation of players in domestic cricket. Non-compliance might result in loss of selection for international assignments and potentially impact central contract renewals. Further, no exceptions would be entertained, except for in “extraordinary circumstances,” which would require approval from the head of the selection committee.
Pant was last seen in the gruelling five-Test series in Australia and is likely to feature in the ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against England, which will be followed by the ICC Champions Trophy.