India, Dec. 29 -- With India set to host New Zealand in a crucial ODI series next month, the wicketkeeper-batter debate has taken centre stage ahead of squad selection. The discussion isn't about the first-choice spot as KL Rahul remains the undisputed option, but about the back-up role. The selectors' temptation to ride Ishan Kishan's current form is understandable; it is, after all, what earned him a T20 World Cup call-up following a last-minute shift in the BCCI's plans. But should that come at the expense of Rishabh Pant, a player who is yet to receive a sustained run in the 50-over format?

The back-up wicketkeeper's slot in India's ODI setup has long been a puzzling one. After Pant was sidelined following the car accident in Decembe...