World Cup 2019 | Rishabh Pant can be India’s Andre Russell/Kieron Pollard, asserts Kris Srikkanth
Kris Srikkanth has said that Rishabh Pant can play the same role as an Andre Russell or Kieron Pollard for the Indian team in the years to come. Srikkanth also advised Pant to take his time in getting his eye in by getting some runs in the “V” before unleashing his wide repertoire of shots.
In the weeks since the start of the 12th edition of the
Having seen the kind of damage that a consistent hard-hitting player can do towards the end of an innings, Kris Srikkanth has gone onto putting forward Rishabh Pant’s name to play a similar role for India at the World Cup. The Delhi Capitals star started the season like a freight train by hammering Mumbai Indians for 78 runs in just 27 balls. While his form has been patchy since then, Srikkanth believes he could act as the X factor for India.
"If there is one Indian cricketer in the IPL and Indian cricket who can emulate a Pollard or a Russell, it's Rishabh Pant," Srikkanth said in his column for TOI.
"I firmly believe that he is one cricketer in India who could win his side — be it Delhi Capitals or Indian team — games from hopeless situations.
"Pant is a special cricketer who has the potential to fire in all formats of the game. He is not just about white-ball cricket, this guy has shown what he can do in Test cricket as well. Remember his sensational hundred in the fourth innings of the Oval Test against England last year, under trying circumstances?" he added.
An aggressive batsman in his playing days, Srikanth also pointed out a change that he would like to see Pant make to his batting. Pant has often been accused of throwing away his wicket in the initial part of his innings. Srikanth suggested that the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman needs to take some time to get settled at the crease before he decides to unleash on the bowlers.
"This kid has it in him, but from my observation, I feel that he doesn’t give himself enough time to showcase his talent in the middle. He goes too hard right at the start. He needs to play in the 'V' the first few balls, irrespective of the format, maybe push the ball towards long-on and long-off frequently and get his eye in.
"He has great ability and a range of shots to make it up in the end. Pollard takes that little bit of time before he unleashes his big hits. And also with Pollard and Russell, they target the straight boundaries, long-on, long-off and slightly towards mid-wicket. Pant needs to take a leaf out of Pollard and Russell’s book," he concluded.
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