Former India opener Virender Sehwag seems to be pretty concerned with the team management dropping Rishabh Pant. The wicket-keeper batsman has been discarded from playing XI across all formats and has a tough road going ahead. He hasn’t been dropped from the squad altogether but it isn’t known whether he will get a chance to play before IPL or not?
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Commenting on the present situation, Sehwag hoped that the team management is communicating with Rishabh, who has been backed on occasions but isn’t a part of playing XI.
“During our time, captain used to go and talk with the player (in question). Now I don’t know if Virat Kohli does the same or not. I am not part of the team setup. But people say that when Rohit Sharma went to Asia Cup as captain, he used to talk to all the players,” he told Cricbuzz.
“When MS Dhoni said in Australia that the top three are slow fielders, we were never asked or consulted. We got to know from the media. He said at the press conference but not at the team meeting that we are slow fielders. Talk at the team meeting was that we need to play Rohit Sharma who is new and that’s why there will be rotation policy. If the same is happening now, that’s wrong,” Sehwag added.
The veteran cricketer also revealed that there was a communication breakdown between players and former India captain MS Dhoni in 2012, when he followed the rotation policy and hoped that it isn’t the case now.
Talking of the present situation, the team management has been sometimes harsh on Rishabh. Ahead of the South Africa T20Is in September, head coach Ravi Shastri had heavily criticised Rishabh for his shot selection and they also dropped him from playing XI in Tests for Wriddhiman Saha.
Rishabh kept his place in the limited-overs team and also came up with performances on occasions. He was the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman in the Australia ODIs but missed the second game due to concussion. In his absence, KL Rahul impressed the team management with his wicket-keeping skills and has been backed to the job.
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Despite Rahul taking gloves, Rishabh was expected to keep his place at least the shortest format but that hasn’t been the case so far.
Rishabh continued to sit out even when the team management brought in Sanju Samson for Rohit Sharma in the fourth T20I. Since Rahul will continue to keep wickets, expect Rishabh to sit out in the ODI series as well. Saha is already the preferred wicket-keeper in the longest format.