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Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Team India will expect a few more runs from stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant’s willow in the fourth T20I against South Africa.

The fourth game of the five-match series will be played in Rajkot on Friday, June 17. Rishabh Pant, the stand-in Indian skipper, has had an underwhelming series thus far, having scored just 40 runs at a dismal average of 13.33.

Rishabh Pant has been found slightly wanting in the last two games [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra: Rishabh Pant Will Have To Score A Few More Runs While Ishan Kishan Will Be In Focus

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra spoke about his expectations from the Indian batting lineup in Friday’s game.

He said the following about Rishabh Pant: “Rishabh Pant is the big question. He will have to score a few more runs. He played a slightly significant knock in the first match, short but quick, which did the job but after that, he hasn’t really looked the same Rishabh Pant. Interestingly, he is a class player in Tests but it keeps going up and down for him in T20s.”

Rishabh Pant has struggled with the bat in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa so far, having registered scores of 29, 5, and 6. His shot selection has also come under the scanner. In his T20I career, Rishabh Pant has scored 723 runs in 46 T20Is at a low average and strike rate of 23.32 and 125.95 respectively with three half-centuries to his name.

The former Indian opener feels Ishan Kishan will be the focus of attention.

Aakash Chopra reasoned: “Ishan Kishan will be once again in focus because he has continuously played very well in this series till now. The fourth innings could be an interesting one because four continuous incredible knocks do not come always.”

Ishan Kishan has smashed 164 runs at an excellent strike rate of 157.69 in the three T20Is thus far and is the leading run-getter. He will hope to continue in the same vein to cement his place in the Indian squad for the 2022 T20I World Cup later this year.

Aakash Chopra : Rajkot Pitch Will Suit Ruturaj Gaikwad

Aakash Chopra feels the Rajkot pitch will be to Ruturaj Gaikwad’s liking. In the previous game (3rd T20I), Ruturaj Gaikwad went after the express pace of Anrich Nortje in the fifth over of the India innings, hammering four fours on way to making 57 off 35 deliveries. In 6 T20Is in his short career, the opener had scored 120 runs averaging 20.

He elaborated: “Ruturaj Gaikwad played beautifully in the previous game. I thought he was absolutely sensational. The Anrich Nortje over in which five fours were hit, one ball hit him on his head as well, but he played really well. He didn’t get flustered, the pickup shots were very beautiful. The pitches on the western side suit him.”

Ruturaj Gaikwad played a blazing knock in the third T20I [P/C: BCCI]

After KL Rahul’s injury ruled him out of the South Africa T20Is, Ruturaj Gaikwad got his opportunity at the top of the order but managed 23 and 1 in Delhi and Cuttack before his fifty resulted in India’s first win in the ongoing T20Is to keep the series alive. While observing that Shreyas Iyer will hope to play a substantial knock, the reputed commentator does not see any changes in the Indian batting department.

Aakash Chopra stated: “Shreyas Iyer would be actually hoping to get a big one. Hardik Pandya, of course, is batting well. I don’t see any other change in the batting, Dinesh Karthik is also going to be there here.”

Shreyas Iyer has scored 90 runs in the three T20Is to date, with a top score of 40. While he has taken the Proteas spinners to the cleaners, he has been kept on a tight leash by their pacers.