Former Indian wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta urged the team management to be clear about their plans for Rishabh Pant in ODIs. Much of the debate ahead of the squad announcement for the upcoming New Zealand ODIs has focused on Pant’s role in the team.
The 28-year-old has mostly served as the backup wicketkeeper to KL Rahul in the 50-over format, with his last outing during the 2024 Sri Lanka tour. However, with several players competing for the spot, Pant’s position remains uncertain, even though he has featured only occasionally in ODIs.
Speaking on Pant’s role in India’s ODI setup, Dasgupta told TOI:
“My only fear is a repeat of 2019, when you didn’t prepare backups in the middle order. Pant can still serve for another seven to eight years. If they feel they can maximise his potential, they must start working with him.”
“He has been part of the system since 2018. If not, they must identify a definite second wicketkeeper — and not keep changing without giving the player a full run, because there aren’t many ODIs before the World Cup.”
He further added:
“I won’t judge him by the runs. He hasn’t played the 50-over format for nearly three-and-a-half years. Before his accident, he had started finding his feet in ODIs. It’s about how much you want to back him.”
“You Are Challenging Your Selection” – Devang Gandhi On Rishabh Pant Conundrum
Former India cricketer Devang Gandhi feels Rishabh Pant deserves a proper chance in ODIs before any decision is made about his spot, noting that the southpaw has featured in just one 50-over match for India since the 2023 season began.
“The team management and selection committee did a good job when they started the transition process. But constant chopping and changing doesn’t help stability. If Pant has been your No. 2 wicketkeeper and is dropped without playing, you are challenging your own selection process.”
“There needs to be consistency in selection, otherwise it doesn’t send a good signal to players coming up the ranks,” said Gandhi (via the aforementioned source).
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
