After the recently-concluded home ODI series against Australia, suddenly a fresh debate has kicked-off in Indian cricket, and that is between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. However, the legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has given his views on this matter.
The young wicketkeeper-batsman Pant, who hugely struggled in international cricket in last year, has just started to perform in most recent time. But during the opening game of the recently-held three-match ODI series against Australia at Mumbai, Pant got hit on his helmet during batting which forced him to miss out the remainder of that series due to a concussion.
Rahul dons gloves after Pant sustained a concussion:
Thus, it handed an opportunity to Rahul, who took up the wicket-keeping role in the-match ODI series. Before that role, Rahul just started to perform consistently as a top-order batsman. But with his newly-assigned role, he got demoted in the batting order.
However, Rahul has impressed Indian captain Virat Kohli, who’s considering to continue this new strategy for further limited-overs matches.
Sunil Gavaskar wants a left-handed batsman in the middle-order:
However, Gavaskar does not agree with this strategy. Gavaskar is choosing Pant for the finishing role instead of Rahul. Talking about this, the legendary Indian cricketer has pointed out Pant’s left-handed batting. He has shown that the present Indian limited-overs teams haven’t much left-handed batsman, so that, Pant will be more important in that place than the other right-handed batsmen.
Gavaskar told Aaj Tak, “I will go with Rishabh Pant in the limited-overs cricket. If you need a finisher at No. 6 then Rishabh Pant can do that for the team.”
He further added, “Also he is a left-handed batsman, so considering the Indian batting line-up where we have only one left-handed batsman in form of Shikhar Dhawan, so if we have another southpaw in top-order then it will be beneficial for the team. So I will go with Rishabh Pant.”
The team India is now preparing for the bilateral series. During the month-long tour, they will play five T20Is, three ODIs and Two Tests between January 24 and March 4.
Pant and Rahul will travel with the T20I squad for this tour. Now, we have to watch out what will be the next plan from the Indian team management.