The Indian national cricket team is facing the problem of no.4 batting position in limited-overs cricket. Team is still finding its deserving candidate who can let off the pressure from the top-order batsman. The team has placed Rishabh Pant in no.4. The wicketkeeper-batsman is being criticised all around because of his performance. VVS Laxman tells the solution for Rishabh Pant performance.
Rishabh is being criticised for his wrong selection of shots. He is under pressure because the team is expecting much from him. In T20I against South Africa, in the second match, he scored 4 runs, and in the third match, he scored 19 runs. In both the matches, he was out because of wrong selection of shots.
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Laxman explains who he can contribute to India score. As VVS Laxman opines that Rishabh likes to hit big shots he should not be given no.4. The no.4 is the place for someone who understands the pitch and condition required to hit shots.
“The nature of Rishabh Pant’s batting is that he plays aggressive shots…unfortunately at the international level he is not able to succeed at the number four position,” Laxman said on Star Sports.
The former cricketer opines that Pant needs time and at present, he doesn’t know the right method to play at 4. Laxman said that he should be given no.5 or no.6.
“Pant should bat at number 5 and 6, where you have the license to go out and express yourself and at the moment he doesn’t know the right method of scoring runs at number 4,” he pointed out.
“Every player goes through this phase, his natural game is free-flowing but suddenly he is not gaining the same results (which he did with Delhi Capitals in the IPL),” Laxman said.
Rishabh Pant is trying to evolve: VVS Laxman
Laxman is of the view that there are other options like Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer who can be placed at no.4. He detects that Rishabh is evolving and improving but needs time to learn the right selection of shots.
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“He is trying to evolve and trying to add different dimensions to his game by rotating the strike that we saw in the previous match but unfortunately, his shot selection at the start of the innings has not been great,” he added.
“There are other people to bat at number 4 like Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer who are experienced and could play at that spot,” he said.
Rishabh is the replacement of MS Dhoni. He has shown his capability as a wicketkeeper but has pressure to perform as a batsman. People are comparing him with Dhoni which is building pressure for him.
“He also has a lot of pressure as he is taking the place of MS Dhoni, who has done a lot for Indian cricket. To get his confidence back the team management needs to let him go bat at number 5 or 6 and express himself,” said Laxman.