Rishabh Pant at No.6, Hardik Pandya No.7 will win matches for India, admits Irfan Pathan

While Pant has been replaced by KL Rahul in the T20 team, Pandya’s concern with his back has delayed his return in the Indian jersey. Former all-rounder and T20 World Cup winner Irfan Pathan admitted that the management must back Rishabh Pant at No.6.   

“Team management is going to keep backing Rishabh Pant. The situation with him is, that they are going to find a good finisher in him. That’s why they are investing in him,” Pathan said. 

While Pant’s performance in the Indian jersey has been a shadow self of his numbers in the IPL, Pathan is confident that soon the left-hander will convert the starts. He also added that using the southpaw as a finisher would be the ideal way to go about for India in the World Cup. India’s lack of solid lower order has been a concern in the past but Pathan reckons that inclusion of Pant would solve the issue. 

“He hasn’t shown that yet. But we have seen in the IPL he has finished the game and won the games for Delhi Capitals. That’s what they see him doing in the future, and hence they keep persisting with him,” he added. 

“I would like to see that as well. If Pant is batting at no. 6 and Hardik Pandya comes at no. 7, it’s a solid lower order, which you need in T20Is, to finish off the game.”