Image Credit source: BCCI
Rishabh Pant’s T20 career has not been very impressive for Team India so far and he has been able to score only 712 runs in 38 innings, in which his strike rate is also 127.
There is always a discussion in the corridors of cricket about Team India’s star wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant. These days he is commanding the Indian Cricket Team. He remains the Indian captain in the T20 series against South Africa. However, this series is more important for his batting than his captaincy as the T20 World Cup is to be held in Australia in the coming months and in such a situation, he has to compete with other players to secure a place in the playing XI. There is also a challenge. In such a situation, if he gets a place in the playing XI in the T20 World Cup, then what is the place in the batting line-up, it is also a question. To resolve this issue, Team India has got advice from former Australian world champion captain Ricky Ponting.
Ricky Ponting, the coach of Pant-led Delhi Capitals in the IPL, believes that aggressive Indian batsmen can prove to be very dangerous on the fast and bouncy tracks of Australia. Ponting believes that for better use of Pant in the T20 World Cup, according to the circumstances of each match, he should be sent as a floater i.e. any place in the batting order. With this, he can inflict heavy damage on the opposing teams.
All eyes will be on Pant in the World Cup
Ponting, who has been spending time with Pant in the IPL for the last four years, considers the 24-year-old Indian wicket-keeper batsman very high. The Australian legend said in the ICC review,
He (Pant) is a wonderful player. A great youngster who will be a very dangerous cricketer for India in the T20 World Cup, especially on Australian wickets which are very flat, fast and bouncy. All eyes will be on his performance in the tournament (World T20).
number five but used as a floater
Ponting believes that the Indian team should keep Pant’s position in the batting order flexible, according to the need, to make the best use of Pant. He said, I think he can be fed as a floater. I would probably like him at number five in the Indian batting line-up. But in certain circumstances where there are seven-eight overs left, I would like to send him and give as much time as possible. He is such a great player and such an aggressive player that I would like to use him like this.
Rishabh Pant’s T20 International career has not been very special so far. In 44 matches, only 712 runs have been scored from his bat, in which his strike rate is also 127.
Pant was disappointed with the performance in IPL
Pant had scored just 340 runs in 14 IPL matches with an average of 30.91. According to Ponting, Pant was very disappointed with his performance in the IPL. “For him, the IPL was probably not his best tournament,” he said. He was really disappointed with his IPL performance this year as he was batting very well before the tournament which I had not seen before.
: Language Inputs