Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has admitted he was surprised to see Rishabh Pant return to India’s Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka. While the legendary batter questioned Pant’s recent form and confidence, he expressed full faith in the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter’s ability to rediscover his best at the international level. Pant, India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in Test cricket, was named in the 15-member squad announced for the Sri Lanka tour.

The left-hander last featured for India in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June 2026, where he impressed with a fluent 81 in the first innings. However, despite that performance, he was left out of India’s ODI squads for both the Afghanistan home series and the subsequent tour of England. Speaking on his YouTube channel, De Villiers said Pant’s selection came as a surprise, largely because of the way the wicketkeeper appeared during IPL 2026.

According to the former Proteas skipper, Rishabh Pant looked short of confidence and lacked his usual energy throughout the tournament. “Rishabh Pant is included, which, in my opinion, is a bit of a surprise. We’ll have to see what his fitness is like and what his appetite is to perform because he looked slightly low on confidence and energy during the IPL. But now he’s representing India again, and I believe that will bring out the best in No. 17. I’m a big fan—I just want to see him play with intensity,” De Villiers said.

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The South African great also welcomed the inclusion of Saransh Jain, who earned his maiden India Test call-up after years of consistent performances in domestic cricket. The 33-year-old Madhya Pradesh all-rounder has been rewarded for his perseverance and is expected to provide valuable balance to India’s spin-heavy attack in Sri Lankan conditions.

De Villiers described Jain as a quality bowling all-rounder who can contribute in both departments. Comparing his skill set to Washington Sundar, he highlighted the off-spinner’s impressive first-class record and his ability to make an impact with the bat lower down the order.

“He has been playing first-class cricket for a long time and thoroughly deserves this opportunity. His bowling numbers are outstanding, and he can also contribute useful runs with the bat. He’ll provide Shubman Gill with another reliable bowling option once the ball gets older,” AB de Villiers added.

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India will begin their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle from August 15, before moving to Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club for the second and final Test beginning on August 23. The series will also mark India’s return to Sri Lanka for a Test tour after nearly nine years, having last completed a memorable 3-0 clean sweep under Virat Kohli in 2017.