"Rishabh Pant is looking the big concern to me" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra believes Rishabh Pant's indifferent form and the manner in which he has approached his innings is a huge concern for Team India.
Pant has scored just 87 runs at an underwhelming average of 17.4 in the three Tests against England so far. He has also repeatedly fallen prey to length deliveries angled across him.
While reflecting on the problem areas for Team India in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra named Rishabh Pant as the biggest worrying factor. He said:
"Rishabh Pant is looking the big concern to me. The way he is batting, you are playing five bowlers because you know you have Rishabh Pant, who is a fabulous batsman, and that is why you are not playing Wriddhiman Saha."
The former India opener added that Rishabh Pant's approach to his innings is also an area of concern. Aakash Chopra elaborated:
"But if he doesn't score runs, it will be a problem. There will be a problem with his way of playing. Your team is stuck, and you are stepping out and playing. My way or the highway works, but I think that is an area of concern."
Pant has tended to dance down the wicket to counter the swing the England bowlers have generated. But that has not yielded many dividends, as he has mostly wafted at deliveries outside the off-stump and getting caught behind the wickets.
"India might start thinking to promote Jadeja and demote Rishabh Pant" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra feels the lack of runs from Rishabh Pant's willow might see Ravindra Jadeja walk ahead of him in the batting order. He observed in this regard:
"In the next match, India might start thinking to promote Jadeja and demote Rishabh because the five-bowler theory looks good to hear, but it means Pant after Ajinkya, then Jadeja and four proper bowlers. It's not a great thing."
The reputed commentator also observed how Ollie Robinson has had the wood on Pant so far, explaining:
"You expect from him, and you only throw stones at a tree that bears fruit. You look towards an X-factor and ask him to score runs. Rishabh Pant will have to really change his tack very quickly. He is a class player, but till now, his number is in Ollie Robinson's pocket."
Four of Rishabh Pant's five dismissals in the series have come against Ollie Robinson. The dashing wicketkeeper-batsman fell to Mark Wood in the first innings of the Lord's Test, which India won.