Rohit Sharma breaks silence on KL Rahul vs Rishabh Pant debate for ODIs, calls it 'happy problem'

As India prepares for their first ODI against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 2, Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir face a tough selection decision, especially choosing one between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant.

The return of Pant to the Indian cricket team following a 15-month hiatus due to a severe car accident adds an intriguing twist to the selection conundrum. The left-handed batter, who made a notable comeback in the IPL 2024, is set to play his first ODI since November 2022.

KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant for Sri Lanka ODIs? Rohit Sharma and Team India face a selection dilemma

Despite his impressive Test career, Pant’s white-ball stats have not been that impressive. With 865 runs in 30 ODIs at an average of 34.60, his performance in the format hasn’t matched his potential. Despite his poor numbers, Pant’s flair and game-changing ability make him an X-factor player for India.

On the other hand, KL Rahul, who was picked for the T20 World Cup 2024, is a strong contender to take up the wicketkeeper’s spot in India’s XI for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting on Friday in Colombo.

Rahul’s recent performances, including a prolific 2023 ODI World Cup and a key role in leading India to a series win in South Africa, make him a valuable asset and someone to be difficult to drop from Playing XI. His consistency in the 50-over format presents another challenge for the Indian team management.

However, India can play both Pant and Rahul in the ODI series, but the return of Shreyas Iyer further complicates things for them. If practice sessions are any indication, Iyer is likely to feature in the playing XI for the first ODI against Sri Lanka, leaving Rohit and Gambhir to pick one between Rahul and Pant.

It's difficult to choose between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant: Rohit Sharma

However, it would be really tough to drop Rahul for the first ODI against Sri Lanka, as his glovework also improved significantly, and he is already a classy batter. However, the Indian captain Rohit Sharma kept tight lips on with whom they are going in the ODI series opener in Colombo.

Rohit admitted how it is tough to pick between Rahul and Pant, but he is happy to have such a problem in the team. He added that both are the match winners, so leaving one of them won’t be easy, which is clear that Iyer is confirmed in the playing XI for the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

Rohit Sharma said in the pre-match press conference: “It's difficult to choose between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. Both are match-winners in their own way. But it's a happy problem, and I want to have that kind of problem. I am not too sure about what we are going to do. I still want to discuss with the head coach as well. We have not decided on it yet. But you will see it tomorrow when we play the game.”