Rishabh Pant Trains With MS Dhoni Ahead of Sri Lanka Tests, Ranchi Photo Goes Viral

Rishabh Pant has begun preparations for India’s upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with the wicketkeeper-batter spotted training alongside former India captain MS Dhoni in Ranchi. A photo of the pair in the gym, shared by former India spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, has quickly gained traction on social media ahead of the crucial home series.

Pant remains a key figure in India’s Test plans despite being out of the national white-ball setup, and the Sri Lanka series marks an important opportunity as India look to stay in contention for a place in the World Test Championship final.

Shahbaz Nadeem shares picture of Rishabh Pant and MS Dhoni

The image was posted by Shahbaz Nadeem, who trained alongside the duo in Ranchi.

Sharing the photo on social media, Nadeem captioned it: “Two of the best finishers of Indian cricket @rishabpant and @mahi7781 bhai.”

Dhoni was seen wearing a blue tracksuit, while Pant was dressed in a black T-shirt and shorts during the gym session.

While Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020, he continues to spend significant time training in Ranchi during the off-season and has often been seen working with current Indian cricketers.

Rishabh Pant looks to bounce back after difficult IPL season

The training session comes after a challenging IPL 2026 campaign for Pant.

Leading Lucknow Super Giants, the left-hander scored 312 runs at an average of 28.36 and a strike rate of 138.05, with the franchise finishing at the bottom of the points table.

Despite those struggles in the T20 format, Pant continues to enjoy the backing of India’s Test management and remains one of the side’s most experienced middle-order batters under captain Shubman Gill.

Sri Lanka series carries significant WTC importance

Pant was last seen in competitive action during India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur in June.

The upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka carries added significance in the World Test Championship cycle. India have little room for error and need victories in seven of their remaining nine Tests to strengthen their chances of reaching the WTC final.

A 2-0 result against Sri Lanka would provide the ideal platform before India travel to New Zealand later this year for a far more demanding Test assignment.