What has Rishabh Pant been doing wrong in ODIs?
If we look at the Indian team, we talk about the Virat Kohlis, the Jasprit Bumrahs, and the Rohit Sharmas - superstars who have already established themselves in the team through years of effort. But one player who has been the talk of the town ever since his Test debut - or even before - is Rishabh Pant.
There is hardly anyone who hasn't been impressed by the 21-year-old.
We all know that Pant is an aggressive batsman and loves to take on the bowlers. On just his second ball in Test cricket, he stepped down the track and smashed Adil Rashid for a six. That showcased his intent and fearless approach.
He was still new at that time, and in the next match he played two innings of completely different dimensions. In the first innings of the Southampton Test, he played 29 balls for a duck, going into a shell and playing completely against his natural game. In the second innings, he tried to over-attack and perished in a tense match.
But as they say, you can't learn until you make mistakes. Pant has been learning as well as doing quite well. In just 9 Tests, he has centuries in England and Australia, a feat achieved by no other Indian keeper, and two 90s to his name.
Test cricket is the most difficult format of all. It really tests all the facets of your game. If you play well in Tests, you can easily excel in limited overs cricket as well.
But that hasn't been the case so far with young Pant. It is an irony that Pant first emerged on to the scene as a T20 and limited overs specialist, but has now established himself in the Test team and is struggling to get a foothold in the ODIs.
One of the causes for his struggles may be that he has been trying too hard. Everyone knows about his capabilities, especially in limited overs cricket, and that is probably why he is desperate to prove himself.
In the process though, the Roorkee lad has failed to find the right gear for the ODIs. He tries to attack from ball one, and often perishes in the process.
Someone just needs to talk to Pant and make him understand that he is a far better batsman than just a hitter. Former greats have backed him to be India's No. 4 for the upcoming World Cup 2019, which shows just how great his potential is.
Maybe it's too early to comment on Pant; he has just played 5 ODIs and 15 T20Is after all. But if he is going to be India's backup keeper as well as an option for the middle order, he needs to do better.
Pant has the X-factor in him and can surely come in handy during the World Cup. And he has a couple of months of IPL cricket to learn to come to grips with the demands of batting at No. 4.
That said, the IPL could also be a double-edged sword. While on the one hand, Pant may get into the T20 frame of mind and replicate the same mistake of over-attacking. On the other hand, he could get time to think about his game and find a way to provide the push that India needs in the middle order during the World Cup.
His fans would be hoping he goes the latter route.