England vs India, 2018: 3 reasons why Rishabh Pant should play in the third Test
There is hardly anyone in the cricketing fraternity who has seen Rishabh Pant bat and not praised the youngster. A person who knows him better than anyone else is India's current U-19 & 'A' team coach, Rahul Dravid.
Dravid has seen Pant grow from the U-19 level to performing well for the India A side. After the Delhi lad earned his maiden test call-up, the legendary batsman praised the southpaw's performance during India 'A's tour of UK.
"Rishabh has shown that he could bat differently. He has the temperament and skills to bat differently," Dravid told bcci.tv.
In the ongoing test series against England, the Indian team is struggling, especially with the bat. Currently, 2-0 down in the 5-match series, the game at Trent Bridge on Saturday provides the last chance for Team India to make a comeback of sorts.
No one apart from Kohli has impressed with the bat. Seeing the situation the team currently finds itself in, infusion of fresh blood is required who can play freely without worrying about reputation being on the line. Pant can be that X-Factor, which the team is sorely lacking.
So, here are 3 reasons why Rishabh Pant should be included in the team for the Trent Bridge test:
#1 Attack minded option
In the first test at Edgbaston, Sam Curran's innings showed how a counter-attacking cameo can prove to be the difference in such conditions. Even though the Indians were on top, controlled hitting put the pressure right back onto the Indian bowlers, who had to adjust their line and lengths and set defensive fields.
The Indian batsmen, on the other hand, have been guilty of not taking the attacking initiative which has allowed the English bowlers to get on top of them.
In difficult conditions such as this, defending cannot be of much help as no matter how set the batsman is, there will always be a delivery that will be unplayable and get him out.
Rishabh Pant perhaps is one player who will be riding high on confidence after a successful 'A' tour of England, where he hit crucial half-centuries against the West Indies A and the England Lions. Also, after a successful 2018 IPL, the Delhi southpaw can take the attack to the English bowlers and disrupt their rhythm. If it pays off, Pant can change the complexion of the game.