The Indian cricket team is currently on a tour of New Zealand. Team India will play the first T20 match on January 24. A day before this match, Indian team captain Virat Kohli held the press conference. Virat Kohli said, "The kind of wicket-keeping KL Rahul has done in the 3-match ODI series against Australia, he will be given a chance as a wicketkeeper in the T20 series against New Zealand. Apart from this, he can bat on any order." However, in the T20 series against New Zealand, he will have to start the innings with Rohit Sharma, as Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out due to injury.

Virat has said, "He (Lokesh Rahul) is doing well as a wicketkeeper, which gives us another advantage of including extra batsman. Some of our plans have been changed due to Dhawan's injury. So now KL Rahul will bat in the opening. If he does good with the bat as well, then why don't we select him? "

It is clear from the statement that Rishabh Pant will have to sit on the bench because he is given more chance as a wicket-keeper less as a batsman. However, as a wicketkeeper, India also has an option in the form of Sanju Samson. Virat has said about Lokesh Rahul, "It is a good thing that he accepts any role, whatever the team needs. He is the team man."