File photo of MS Dhoni (L), Shahbaz Nadeem and Rishabh Pant (R).© Instagram
Star India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has begun his preparations for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. Pant was spotted training with legendary former India captain MS Dhoni in Ranchi. Former India spinner Shahbaz Nadeem recently shared a photo alongside the two wicketkeepers inside the gym, where Dhoni was wearing a matching blue tracksuit while Pant opted for a black t-shirt and shorts. “Two of the best finishers of indian cricket @rishabpant and @mahi7781 bhai,” Nadeem captioned the post.
Meanwhile, Pant is no longer part of India’s white-ball plans, but he remains a vital cog in the Test side under Shubman Gill‘s leadership.
The 28-year-old is coming off a difficult IPL 2026 campaign with the Lucknow Super Giants, where the captain managed just 312 runs at an average of 28.36 and a strike rate of 138.05 as LSG finished at the bottom of the table.
Pant’s last competitive outing came in June during India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur.
India need to win seven of their remaining nine Tests of this World Test Championship cycle in order to remain in contention for a summit clash berth.
Winning the Sri Lanka series by a 2-0 margin is very important before embarking on an away series against New Zealand which is expected to be a tough assignment.
Dhoni, meanwhile, missed the entirety of IPL 2026 due to lingering injury setbacks, casting further doubt over his playing career.
According to a report by RevSportz, the legendary keeper could transition into a mentorship role with Chennai Super Kings following Stephen Fleming‘s exit as head coach.
After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons since their 2023 title, CSK are looking to restructure, and Dhoni is expected to be given full control over cricket affairs regardless of when he formally takes on the mantle.
(With PTI Inputs)
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