Rishabh Pant, Indian wicketkeeper-batter, is preparing for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which includes a training session with former Indian team captain MS Dhoni in Ranchi.
Former Indian spinner Shahbaz Nadeem shared a picture from a gym in Ranchi showing Pant and Dhoni training together. Dhoni was sporting a blue tracksuit whilst Pant wore a black T-shirt and shorts.
"Two of the best finishers of Indian cricket @rishabpant and @mahi7781 bhai," said Nadeem, sharing the photo on social media.
Pant continues to be a crucial member of the Shubman Gill-led Test squad despite being currently out of India's white-ball setup.
After facing a setback in IPL 2026 with Lucknow Super Giants, the 28-year-old heads into the Sri Lanka series. Pant, leading the franchise, scored 312 runs in the tournament at an average of 28.36 and a strike rate of 138.05 with LSG finishing at the bottom of the points table.
Pant’s last match was in India's one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur in June.
In the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, India has little margin for error, as they need to win seven of their remaining nine matches to reach the finals.
India’s upcoming home series against Sri Lanka is crucial, requiring a 2-0 sweep before confronting New Zealand who can be expected to be more challenging.
Dhoni has raised fresh concerns over his playing future after remaining away from competitive cricket after missing the entire IPL 2026 season because of persistent injury concerns
Reports state that following Stephen Fleming’s departure as Chennai Super Kings head coach, the former Indian captain is being considered for the team’s mentorship role.
CSK is set for a restructuring phase after failing to qualify for the playoffs each of the last three seasons since winning the IPL title in 2023. It is expected that irrespective of the official role assumed by Dhoni, he is to be handed overall control of cricket operations.
