Former Indian attacking opener Virender Sehwag believes that Rishabh Pant is currently the best option to replace MS Dhoni in the national team.
The former Indian captain MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014. He is now serving the national team in limited-overs cricket where his major role is to guide the youngsters properly.
Since Dhoni has retired from the Test cricket, a chance has been opened up for the domestic wicketkeepers. First Wriddhiman Saha made solid his place in the Test team. Recently, Rishabh Pant has grown up in the national team.
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Though the 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Pant is hugely struggling to perform consistently, Sehwag is confident on the youngster. The former Indian opening batsman believes that Pant is the best guy at present to replace MS Dhoni.
Sehwag recently told TOI, “I think Rishabh Pant is the best one (option). He proved himself in Test cricket and now he may prove himself in ODIs and T20Is again. He is the best guy to replace MS Dhoni.”
If Rishabh Pant corrects his shot selection, he will serve Team India for a long time – Virender Sehwag
Since his international debut in February 2017, Rishabh Pant has played nine Tests, 12 ODIs and 18 T20Is. The left-handed batsman has scored 696 Test runs (average 49.71), 229 ODI runs (average 22.90) and 302 T20I runs (average 21.57).
In Test cricket, Pant has already shined where he scored two centuries and two half-centuries. However, he has struggled to perform consistently in limited-overs cricket. Though he has registered two half-centuries in T20I cricket, his best ODI knock is 48 runs.
The shot selection is one of the major issues for Pant. Sehwag feels that Pant will serve the national team for a long time if he corrects his shot selection. However, Sehwag is confident that Pant will open for team India soon.
Sehwag added, “He (Pant) will take some time. If he corrects his shot selection, he will serve Team India for a long time.
“I am sure in the coming three or four years, you will see Pant opening for the team. He has the capability to open the innings in the limited-overs format.”
The former Indian opener: Navdeep Saini is a very good prospect
Virender Sehwag has also praised the Delhi fast bowler Navdeep Saini. He recently made his international debut and shined with the ball.
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In the ongoing tour, Saini made his T20I debut and played all the three matches in that T20I series. He won the Player of the Match award on his T20I debut for his brilliant bowling performance (4-1-17-3). In that three-match series, Saini bagged five wickets.
Sehwag feels that Saini will play all formats very soon.
Sehwag said, “He (Navdeep Saini) is a very good prospect. I have seen him playing for Delhi. He used to come for the Delhi Ranji team as a net bowler and then DDCA picked him for Ranji Trophy games. After that he played IPL and he performed well. He performed for India A and now he is playing for India.
“I am very happy for him. He is a good lad who comes from a very humble background. Hopefully, he does well for Team India as well. His T20I debut was fantastic and hopefully he plays all formats very soon.”
The 26-year-old Navdeep Saini was in the ODI squad in the ongoing Caribbean tour, but he wasn’t selected in the playing XI. Though he wasn’t in the Test squad in this tour, the team management has recently decided to keep him for the Test series as a net bowler.