Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar feels Rishabh Pant should open the batting for India in white-ball cricket. He cited the example of former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist who opened the innings for his country and performed exceedingly well. In the recently concluded Test match against England, Rishabh Pant’s batting exploits were on display. He slammed a counter-attacking century in the first innings, to bail India out of trouble.
Pant scored 146 runs off 111 deliveries, including nineteen boundaries and four sixes. This was Rishabh’s fifth century in Test cricket. However, his stats in the limited-overs format are completely contrasting. Rishabh Pant is yet to score a century in white-ball cricket for India. Sunil Gavaskar feels that the wicket-keeper should open the innings for India in the limited-overs format. He expressed that Pant can emulate the success of former Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist.
“Not a bad option at all. Look at what Adam Gilchrist did for Australia in white-ball cricket. He used to bat at No.6 or 7 in Test cricket but while opening in white-ball cricket he was destructive. Maybe someone like Rishabh Pant can be equally destructive, he will get that many more overs to play,” Gavaskar said to Sports Today.
Sunil Gavaskar wants Rishabh Pant to open the innings in White Ball cricket so he can emulate what Adam Gilchrist did. (On Sports Today).
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 6, 2022
Can actually work in India’s favour: Sunil Gavaskar on Rishabh Pant as opener
The Indian team will play limited-overs series against England, this month. Sunil Gavaskar expressed that opening the batting for India will make Rishabh Pant more aware of the match situation. He stated that the wicket-keeper will not have to go after the bowlers from ball one.
“We have been talking about him as a finisher but then he comes in there, starts slamming the ball, and straight away gets out. Here, he will have the awareness that he doesn’t have to go bang bang from the first ball. He will have a few deliveries to get used to the pace and movement. In England, there will be a little more movement even with the white ball than anywhere else. That can actually work in India’s favor,” said Gavaskar.
The three-match T20I series between India and England will begin on July 7, Thursday. The first T20I will take place at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. The T20I series will be followed by three-match ODI series against England.
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