"I love the idea of Rishabh Pant at No.3" - Irfan Pathan explains the advantage India gets with the southpaw at T20 World Cup 2024
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan was intrigued by the idea of the Men in Blue sending Rishabh Pant out to bat at No.3 in the T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up fixture against Bangladesh. Pant was impressive on his comeback in the Indian jersey as he scored 53 off just 32 balls.
Pathan accepted that he wanted India to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, but reckons that Rohit Sharma opening with Virat Kohli followed by Pant at No.3 may not be such a bad idea.
Speaking in a video on Star Sports ahead of India's opening game of the campaign against Ireland on June 5, Irfan Pathan named his playing XI. Here's what he had to say about the top order and Rishabh Pant's role:
"I love the idea of Rishabh Pant at No.3 because you will get the option of a left-hander. If Pant bats in the powerplay with just two fielders outside the circle, then the way he is trapped on the off-side won't be possible. He could really come into his own at No.3."
Irfan then picked the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and both seam-bowling all-rounders Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya. In an earlier show on Star Sports, the former cricketer had explained how both Dube and Hardik could have different yet effective roles for the Men in Blue.
Irfan Pathan on India's bowling attack
Irfan Pathan feels the Men in Blue can compromise their batting depth against Ireland in the conditions prevalent in the USA and play three out-and-out pacers in Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammed Siraj with the left-arm wrist-spin of Kuldeep Yadav.
He reckons the idea of three spinners would be more effective when India head to the West Indies in the latter stages of the tournament. Pathan opined during the same segment:
"I would like to see Kuldeep Yadav at No.8 and then the three specialist fast bowlers because we are playing in the USA. The moment this team goes to the West Indies, you can make it two specialist pacers and bring in Axar Patel at No.8 to deepen the batting."
Irfan Pathan's Indian XI for Ireland clash: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.