"I think Rishabh Pant will be a huge player in T20 cricket over the course of the next 10 years" - Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa
Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa has opined that Rishabh Pant could go on to be a stalwart in T20 cricket if he is promoted up the batting order. Pant is yet to find his rhythm in the shortest format after bursting into the scene on the back of his heroics in the 2016 U-19 World Cup, but Uthappa believes it is a matter of time before he does.
The Delhi-born player made his T20I debut in 2017 but had to wait for MS Dhoni to hang up his boots to become a regular feature in the playing XI. He continued to amass runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but struggled to find his footing in Team India's middle order.
Rishabh Pant lost his place as the first-choice wicketkeeper to Dinesh Karthik, who brought his ability to finish the innings to the table. Despite being the sole left-handed batter in the set-up, Pant was not considered at the start of the recently concluded T20 World Cup in Australia; he only played a couple of matches in the tournament.
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But Uthappa stated during an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda that Pant should feature in the top order during the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.
"Rishabh Pant should open the innings in the New Zealand series, he should definitely play at the top of the order," Uthappa said. "I think in T20 cricket, that's where he has been at his best and that is where he will thrive going forward as well."
Uthappa continued:
"He is a match-winner, a game-changer, and he can easily win matches for India single-handedly with his batting. I think he will be a huge player in T20 cricket over the course of the next 10 years."
Pant has been tried out at the top of the order on a couple of occasions in the past. He faced the new ball in the England and West Indies tours, and also during the practice matches against Western Australia XI last month.
While he could not make the most of those chances, the southpaw could be in line for more.
"He has been given the gift of timing" - Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif on Shubman Gill
One of the biggest takeaways from the squad for the tour of New Zealand came in the form of Shubman Gill's maiden T20I call-up. The youngster has featured in Tests and ODIs in the past, and has been rewarded for his exceptional form of late with a chance to feature in the shortest format.
The Punjab-born batter has not looked back since an exceptional campaign with the Gujarat Titans (GT). He received a call-up for the tour of the Caribbean, where he was adjudged Player of the Series.
Following his maiden ODI ton against Zimbabwe, Gill had a good county stint before scoring his first T20 hundred in the Syed-Mushtaq Ali quarter-final clash against Karnataka.
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Opining that the two former U-19 World Cup members Gill and Pant should open the innings for India in the T20Is against New Zealand, Mohammad Kaif said during the same interaction:
"Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant should open the innings for India in the New Zealand series. I rate Gill very highly, the form he is in, the way his last five-six months have gone, he has been exceptional, calm and composed. When he plays, it does not look like he puts too much power into his shots, he has been given the gift of timing."
Adding that all eyes during the tour would be on how Gill performed in his maiden T20I outing, Kaif continued:
"He played really well for the Gujarat Titans as well, he looks confident and in very good touch. He has piled on runs this year, he has a first-class average of 50-60. So, all of the eyes on this tour will be certainly on Shubman Gill."
The former Indian batter concluded by saying:
"He was not considered for T20Is before, he was only playing ODIs till now. Because his form has been good of late, he was rewarded with this call-up."
Team India will face New Zealand in the first T20I of the series on Friday, November 18, at the Wellington Regional Stadium.
Who should open the innings for Team India in the T20I series against the Blackcaps? Let us know what you think.
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