The former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Farokh Engineer has been impressed on the young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant.
Rishabh Pant has impressed the world cricket with his recent performances. Though he hasn’t played much ODI cricket yet, he is strongly battling to feature in the upcoming World Cup.
In recent Test cricket, the left-handed batsman has shown his potential. Moreover, his wicketkeeping skills are also improving gradually.
Farokh Engineer feels that Rishabh Pant has the potential to play for the national team.
According to The Telegraph, Farokh Engineer said, “He (Pant) is a youngster who deserves every opportunity, he has the potential.”
I could not understand us picking Dinesh Karthik time and again
The Indian national cricket team is in the mood of final preparation before the upcoming 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Before the World Cup, India has to play a limited-overs home series against Australia. In the forthcoming five-match home ODI series against Australia, Rishabh Pant has earned the opportunity over Dinesh Karthik. Though some many experts haven’t agreed with that decision, Farokh Engineer supports this step.
The 80-year-old former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman believes that Dinesh Karthik has earned enough opportunities and India will now have to look at the future.
Farokh Engineer said, “Dinesh Karthik is a dear friend of mine…there is a time, for everyone has his prime and you think about the future of Indian cricket and that is why I could not understand us picking Dinesh Karthik time and again.”
We are in a very fortunate position to have Dhoni
Farokh Engineer also praised the former Indian skipper and the present limited-overs wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni. He feels that India is lucky to have MS Dhoni in the squad. While the former has no doubt about MS Dhoni’s presence in the upcoming World Cup, he also feels that Rishabh Pant can also play in the same team as a batsman.
Farokh Engineer said, “We are in a very fortunate position to have Dhoni. At that age, he is very fit and he should definitely be in the team, who knows, Pant could even play as a batsman. He finished the second average in Australia.”
In the four-match Test series in Australia, Rishabh Pant was the second most run-scorer of the series with 350 runs in 7 innings with an average of 58.33.
Farokh Engineer reveals why India can win the upcoming World Cup
Farokh Engineer also praised the Indian skipper Virat Kohli. The former Indian cricketer has high faith in Virat Kohli’s captaincy, and he believes that the present Indian team is strong enough to win the upcoming World Cup.
He added, “Virat plays a very strong part, I think, indirectly in team selection and so, he should because he is the captain, he wants 11 players that will give their lives for him, give the lives for India…fighters, that’s why we can win the World Cup.”
England and Wales will host the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup from 30 May to 14 July. India will begin their World Cup journey from 5 June when they will meet against South Africa at Southampton.