T20 World Cup 2022: "The poor guy hasn't played cricket for a while" - Aakash Chopra on Rishabh Pant form
Aakash Chopra recently highlighted how Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant hasn't had consistent opportunities in T20 cricket of late.
He noted that the left-handed batter threw his wicket away against Zimbabwe on Sunday in what was his first appearance at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. Chopra, however, emphasized that Pant has an impressive record with the bat in Australia.
The cricketer-turned-commentator suggested that Pant might be lacking confidence, given that he has been in and out of playing XI in the format. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra explained:
"He has been guilty of throwing his wicket away on several occasions. But he is also the X-factor that we all talk about. When he plays in Australia, he has been absolutely sublime. I don't think he is walking in with a lot of confidence.
"The poor guy hasn't played cricket for a while. He hardly got any opportunities even at the Asia Cup."
The Indian team management went with Dinesh Karthik as the wicketkeeper for the side's first four fixtures in the group stage. While Rishabh Pant got a chance in the final fixture against Zimbabwe, the southpaw managed just three runs during his brief stay at the crease.
"Not a good plan if they are thinking of giving him a go at this stage" - Aakash Chopra on Rishabh Pant playing the semi-final
Aakash Chopra went on to state that India cannot rely on Rishabh Pant to fire in the semi-final. He opined that the management should have played him right from the first game if they saw him as a vital cog in the lineup.
The 45-year-old also mentioned that Hardik Pandya might have to give up his No. 5 spot in the batting order to accommodate Pant. He suggested that this may not be a viable move for Rohit Sharma and Co and added:
"All the experts have suggested that India should go with Rishabh Pant, suggesting that he might do something special with the shorter boundaries. Many have said that he might hit a lot of sixes against Adil Rashid. While he can surely do that, he hasn't done anything like that in the recent past.
"Secondly, Hardik will have to move down the order to accommodate him. Asking Hardik to bat at No. 6 is like clipping his wings. If they wanted Pant, they should have played him right from the start. It's not a good plan if they are thinking of giving him a go at this stage."
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The Indian team will next be in action during the all-important semi-final of the T20 World Cup. The Rohit Sharma-led side will battle England in the knockout clash at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, November 10.