IND vs NZ, 3rd ODI: Rishabh Pant ends speculations, opens up on his preferred T20I batting slot | WATCH VIDEO

IND vs NZ, 3rd ODI: In recent times there has been loads of discussion regarding Rishabh Pant and his free-flowing style of gameplay. After MS Dhoni, Pant was touted as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman, but his performances in the white ball format have been dismal and pretty lackluster. Without any grain of doubt, Rishabh Pant is a stalwart as far as the red ball format is considered, but he has been struggling in the 50 over and the T20I format. Pant’s style is a pretty unique one and he is expected to take on bowlers everytime he walks out to bat, but he succeeds in doing so in the Test format.

Pant’s problem has been the same as former India cricketer Virender Sehwag’s. The Delhi-based batsman was considered one of the greatest Test openers after the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, but he did not enjoy the ODI and the T20I format as much. As of now, Pant is the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team that is taking on New Zealand. Surprisingly, Pant wasn’t even India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. The team management had opted for Dinesh Karthik ahead of him and he got dropped at the business end of the tournament. Pant was interviewed by renowned broadcaster Harsha Bhogle in a pre-match show for Prime video and he opened up on many things, especially his preferred opening slot in the T20I format.

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Rishabh Pant said:

If the T20I format is considered, I’d like an open and in ODIs, I’d like to bat on number 4. Records are just numbers and not anything else. My white ball numbers are not that bad. As far as my comparison with the great Virender Sehwag is considered, then people should consider the fact that I am just 24-25 years old and when I turn 30-32, then we’ll see, before that, it makes no sense.

Recently Pant has had a very dismal outing in the New Zealand ODI series and Sanju Samson has been kept on the sidelines. In the coming times and with the World Cup in sight, the Indian team management will certainly make some changes, till then, Pant’s fate hangs in the balance.

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