Rishabh Pant, the in-form keeper is back in contention to be India’s first-choice wicket-keeper after outstanding performances in Australia and against England in Tests, ahead of the first T20I against England.
Team India faces a number of selection conundrums ahead of the 5 matches T20I series against Eoin Morgan-led England that gets underway from Friday, March 12. India will lock horns with Eoin Morgan-led England in a five-match rubber with all the matches set to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Rishabh Pant’s Return Fuels Selection Dilemma As Keeper Apart From Opening Slot
Apart from the selection debate surrounding the opening spot involving limited-ball specialists Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul, there is also a debate over who should be India’s first-choice wicket-keeper in the T20I series. With Rishabh Pant roaring back to form and earning his spot back in the T20I side, he is all set to challenge KL Rahul.
Rishabh Pant had been keeping the wickets for India in white-ball cricket ever since MS Dhoni went on a sabbatical post the 2019 World Cup. However, the left-hander saw himself fall behind in the pecking order after being replaced by KL Rahul during the Australia series at home last year. He was then sidelined from the team as KL Rahul went on to impress with his performances with the willow and behind the stumps.
Left-handed southpaw Rishabh Pant made a comeback to the Indian T20I side while another dynamic left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan earned his maiden call-up as India decided to leave out Sanju Samson for the five-match T20I series.
Rishabh Pant Is Back And In Form Posting Tough Decision Of Selection From Team Management: Vikram Rathour
However, with Rishabh Pant back in the scheme of things and likely to make the cut in the playing XI for the first T20I on Friday, batting coach Vikram Rathour shared his views on the wicket-keeping debate.
“KL has done really well as a wicketkeeper-batsman. He has been a superb cricketer, he has batted really well, he has kept reasonably well. Now Rishabh [Pant] (is) back in form and doing well, let’s see how it goes. Once this situation comes, what the team management is looking to do, that’ll happen on the day of the game and how this series goes,” Vikram Rathour said in an interview with ESPNCricinfo.
It remains to be seen who will be prefered for the wicket-keeper’s job in the first T20I between the duo of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. While the former has been in red-hot form for India recently in Tests, KL Rahul has consistently impressed in white-ball cricket. Apart from the duo, Ishan Kishan is also the third wicketkeeper in the squad and might get a chance as a pure batsman against England.
The last time India played T20Is, in Australia, KL Rahul, who after first being assigned wicketkeeping duties during early 2020, continued to perform the role of donning the gloves, but Vikram Rathour explained that with Rishabh Pant back in form, the selection will pose a bit of challenge.
KL Rahul has been keeping wickets in both ODIs and T20Is ever since Rishabh Pant lost his place in the XI after suffering a concussion during an ODI against Australia towards the end of 2019.
Rishabh Pant has played 16 ODIs and 27 T20Is where his average have been less than 30 and he has managed only 3 fifties in both the formats combined as he has most often gifted his wicket but he will look to make amends if included in starting XI. He last played in January 2020 in the limited-overs format.