India wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant was given a new role by the Indian team mangement of opening the batting in the recently concluded three-match T20I series against England. Ahead of Ishan Kishan, Pant opened the batting with India captain Rohit Sharma. In the upcoming five-match T20 series against West Indies, the left-hand batsman is likely to open the batting for Men in Blue. Ex-India batter Wasim Jaffer had coined the idea of Pant opening the batting in T20 cricket and in the very next match India went with Pant as the opening choice. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar also backed Pant to open the batting.
More rest?
More cricket?
What's the best way to revive @imVkohli's form ?@sanjaymanjrekar shares his on #SportsOTT #Sports18 pic.twitter.com/zybPWWsFou
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Speaking exclusively on SPORTS18’s daily sports news show ‘SPORTS OVER THE TOP’, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar spoke about Hardik Pandya-Rishabh Pant’s heroics and the future of the Indian middle batting order. “Yes, just hoping that Hardik can keep his fitness together. No issues about Rishabh Pant. What we saw in that last one day, I was completely floored by the sheer talent and ability of these two guys, temperament as well, built a long partnership and how easily, in the end, India won. Thanks to Rishabh Pant for staying there till the end. So yes, high-quality batters, and they’re going to be batting mostly at number 4 and 5 whether it’s T20 Cricket or 50 overs cricket or Pant could be opening as well. In 2019, we had a lot of issues finding a proper middle order but now we have some quality supply.”
If Pant opens the batting India can go with Virat Kohli at number three, Suryakumar Yadav at number four and finisher Dinesh Karthik at number five. Here are Pant's numbers as opening batsman for Team India in the shortest format of the game.
Pant in T20I as opener
Matches - 2
Runs - 27
SR - 135.00
AVG - 13
''Pant is always responsible''
Manjrekar also opened up about Pant evolving as a responsible cricketer. He believes that the wicket-keeper batsman has always been responsible. Manjrekar also said that it looks like Pant has played an irresponsible shot but cricket experts need to change their mindset.
“No, he’s always responsible. He may seem irresponsible sometimes when he gets out, when he gets out playing one of those kinds of shots, we’ve got to look at it as somebody getting out at slips because the game has changed and that is Rishabh Pant’s primary sort of skill. He’s got to sound different but when he extends himself, he tries these shots. The winning runs for example, it’s a part of his basic attacking, array of shots that he has. So, responsibility wise I think this guy is just incredible because of the kind of record he has in test cricket. You can’t play those kind of shots if you are not responsible by nature, wanting to win the game and in this one day as well you could see him. He was responsibility personified; he was calmness personified. I got very excited watching Rishabh Pant because there’s something about this country, that we keep producing these kinds of batters every generation," a former cricketer said on SPORTS18.
'' Hardik Pandya has arrived''
Talking about Hardik's overall transformation ever since he recovered from injury, Manjrekar said that the all-rounder is a changed man now. Manjrekar feels that Pandya is playing with maturity, responsibility and ambition. “Absolutely, Hardik Pandya is a completely changed guy. It was a wildcard that the franchise played. First of all, picking him as one of their first players, before that his fitness was a problem, his batting was an issue for the earlier franchise. Not only did they pick him, and back him as one of their marquee players they gave him the captaincy. Just the way the league turned out for him. Hardik Pandya is a changed man now, there’s a lot of maturity, responsibility and ambition as well. I see a sense of ambition coming into him. And once you have that, wanting to grow within Indian Cricket then there’s tremendous motivation. He’s also addressing himself in the third person now. Hardik Pandya has arrived,” Manjrekar concluded.
