IPL 2020 | Rishabh Pant should be backed for wicket keeping role in Indian team, opines Ashish Nehra
Pant playing a shot against Australia
|BCCI
Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra has thrown his weight behind DC gloveman Rishabh Pant and said that the youngster should be backed for a place in the Indian team. Not only him but Sanjay Bangar also opined that Pant brings a left-hand option for India in middle-order and thus needs to be backed.
With scores of 31, 37*, 28, 38, and 37, Rishabh Pant has unleashed a new avatar of his in the IPL 2020. Barring his sluggish knock in the opening game against Kings XI Punjab, he has batted with a lot of responsibility and has impressed one and all with his range of hitting on the off-side after being a predominantly a leg-side power-hitter.Â
The way he was able to counter the wide deliveries on the off side and play over the long-off and cover region in the game against CSK and RCB even impressed the great Brian Lara, who remarked that Pant has improved his game in the last 12 months, when it comes to the off-side region.
Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar also batted for Pant as he opined that given the left-hand option that he brings to the middle-order, the 23-year-old should get more chances for India. The opinion was backed by Ashish Nehra as well, who stated that all players in international cricket need to get a proper backing.Â
“In terms of wicket-keeping, I think it would be Rishabh Pant. I think the way he started this year’s IPL and I think it is very important to have a left-hander as an option because for Team India when it comes to the middle order it helps to balance out the right-handers,” Bangar said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected, reported Times Now.
“It totally depends on which format we are talking about. If we are talking about Test cricket, and if you want to go with the best wicket-keeper then you also have to consider the mindset of the captain and coach. I am in total agreement with Sanjay Bangar, I think they should go ahead with Rishabh Pant. Pant should be backed! Every player needs to be backed when it comes to international cricket,” Nehra said.
A sensible hand from Pant on Monday versus Royal Challengers Bangalore, against who he scored a 25-ball 37, helped DC beat Virat Kohli's side and go top of the table. The youngster's last white-ball appearance for India came against Australia at Wankhede in January.
