New Delhi: With two veterans, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, have proven their worth for the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. As a result, India are set to reshuffle some players in the ODI setup for the global event.

According to the India Today report, Rishabh Pant is likely to be dropped from the ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand. With Pant’s absence, the doors are likely to open for Ishan Kishan. The left-handed batter is currently enjoying a purple patch right, and has played some good knocks in domestic cricket recently, which firmly puts him back in contention.

In the last ODI series against South Africa, Rishabh Pant didn’t get a chance to feature in any game, but he was considered as a backup wicket-keeper in ODIs for India after KL Rahul.

Pant played his last ODI game on August 7, 2024, against Sri Lanka in Colombo, but now, according to the reports, selectors are moving on from him for the next series.

Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner to replace Pant in the ODI squad. The Jharkhand batter played the last ODI on October 11, 2023, against Australia.

He was the highest run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, helping Jharkhand to win its maiden title, which resulted in his selection for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Kishan continued his fantastic form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and scored a 33-ball century against Karnataka on December 24, which is the second-fastest List A century by an Indian batter.

Pant is leading Delhi in the Vijay Hazare trophy, and his inconsistent run in the domestic circuit would be the reason for his omission, as he scored 5 and 70 in the first two outings of the tournament.

Shubman Gill has recovered from a foot injury, which he suffered ahead of the fourth T20I against South Africa in Lucknow. He missed the last match in Ahmedabad and was also dropped from the 2026 T20 World Cup squad. Gill is likely to play two matches for Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and will lead the ODI squad in three-match series against New Zealand, which is set to begin from January 11.