The BCCI announced India’s squads for all three formats for the upcoming tour of Australia. But the final squad did not include players like Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant. While Sharma was unsurprisingly ruled out because of injuries, Pant’s exclusion from the limited-overs squad left fans bewildered.

But Virender Sehwag is not suprised, unlike others. “It was not surprising that Pant was not included,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz. “On the last tour, he was not part of the playing XI despite being fit. KL Rahul had performed well as a wicketkeeper and he was used as the regular wicketkeeper in the limited-overs series, and Rishabh Pant was kept out,” Sehwag said.

“It might have been a way to send a message to Rishabh Pant that he needs to change his style of play. He would keep losing his wickets, and he doesn’t finish off games, and he needs to learn to finish games. If he does not do that, he would not be given chances.”

During the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Pant had scored 350 runs including a century. Sehwag further recalled how Indian team would use Rahul Dravid as a wicketkeeper option before MS Dhoni’s arrival because it gave them an extra batting option.

Sehwag On Dravid

“During our time, Rahul Dravid was used as a wicketkeeper because we did not have a good keeper till MS Dhoni arrived. So, we used Dravid as a keeper because he would be used as an extra batsman in the team,” he said.

“But here Rishabh Pant is good keeper, but the way he gives away his wickets, Kohli and Ravi Shastri might not be pleased with him. Only Rishabh Pant can make this change – he needs to finish off games in every opportunity he gets. He needs to prove himself that he has the capability to return to the Indian team.”