Overview
- Raina made the comments on Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel on Saturday, Sept 5, 2026, when he publicly backed Abhishek Sharma for India’s Test side and praised Rishabh Pant’s white‑ball potential.
- Abhishek Sharma’s first‑class record cited by journalists shows 1,071 runs in 24 matches at an average of 30.60 with one century and five fifties, plus 20 wickets, which Raina used to support a Test case.
- Raina called Pant an 'X factor' for limited‑overs cricket based on a Test career of 3,725 runs in 52 matches and said Pant can still develop into a major IPL and white‑ball player.
- Coverage noted Pant has been absent from India’s limited‑overs squads since July–August 2024 while continuing in the IPL, where reports place him with Lucknow Super Giants in 2025–26 before returning to Delhi Capitals in 2026.
- Raina framed the debate as one about who shapes career paths, saying coaches, state associations and IPL franchises influence whether young stars prioritise Tests and warning that selection choices and franchise management could alter players’ formats and futures.