Aakash Chopra recently pointed out how Team India’s stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant often tries to think outside the box while leading a side. He suggested that the keeper may not be the one deciding the side’s batting order in the ongoing 5 matches T20I series against South Africa.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra mentioned that Rishabh Pant’s job will be to make the right bowling changes on the field. He added that when it comes to the batting order, head coach Rahul Dravid is likely the one calling the shots.
Aakash Chopra Doesn’t Think Rishabh Pant Decides Batting Order
The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons that the 24-year-old is not like other captains. He highlighted how Rishabh Pant, on several occasions, had not given Kuldeep Yadav his full quota of overs in IPL 2022, despite the spinner doing well in his first three overs.
“Rishabh Pant does try to think out of the box at times. We’ve seen that he’s not given Kuldeep Yadav his four overs in the IPL, even when he had taken four wickets from his first three.
“This has not just happened once, but on several occasions. He is a different type of a captain. As far as the batting order is concerned, I don’t think Rishabh Pant is the one deciding it. Rahul Dravid would be doing that.”
The Rishabh Pant-led Indian side suffered a 7-wicket loss to South Africa in the T20I series opener in Delhi. Post the defeat, many fans had questioned Rishabh Pant’s move of not letting Yuvzendra Chahal bowl his four overs in the contest. Rishabh Pant didn’t complete Yuzvendra Chahal’s full quota of overs, giving him only two until the 19th over of the innings.
The wicketkeeper-batter brought Yuzvendra Chahal for the final over but by then, the game was already in South Africa’s bag with the side needing merely four more runs to win. The leg-spinner conceded 26 off his 2.1 overs in the first T20I against South Africa in Delhi on June 9.
Aakash Chopra Reckons That India Should Send Hardik Pandya Whenever A Wicket Falls After The 10th Over And Feels India Shouldn’t Change The XI For The 2nd T20I
He further added that Hardik Pandya made a significant impact in his comeback outing. Aakash Chopra pointed out that the talismanic all-rounder should be India’s go-to batter whenever a wicket falls after the 10th over, as he has the ability to change the game with his power hitting.
“We missed Hardik Pandya. He is a gun player and he showed what he can do. While he gave away 18 runs from his over, he did beat the batter on three occasions. It was a strange over. Dwaine Pretorius had come out to attack, and he wasn’t scared of getting out.”
“India were able to get to 211 because of Hardik’s batting towards the end. He gets into a strong base. He isn’t that bulky, but the strong base and backlift helps him. I feel that India should send him whenever a wicket falls after the 10th over, even if it’s the first wicket.”
Pandya dazzled viewers with his quickfire knock against the Proteas on Thursday. The swashbuckler, with his unbeaten knock of 31 off 12 deliveries, helped India register an imposing total of 211.