Former India fielding coach R Sridhar welcomed the concept of Rishabh Pant opening the batting in T20I cricket, saying it would show to be a watershed second for the Indian facet. Sridhar stated the wicketkeeper-batter has the power to instil concern within the opposition camp and take the main target off the opposite finish.
Sridhar’s feedback got here after Rishabh Pant opened for the primary time in T20I cricket throughout India’s 49-run win over England within the 2nd of a three-match T20I sequence in Birmingham on Saturday.
Pant changed Ishan Kishan within the batting unit and walked out to open with captain Rohit Sharma. The left-hander hit 26 off simply 15 balls as India raced to 49 for no loss contained in the fifth over.
Sridhar, chatting with Sony Sports, lauded Rohit for the transfer and defined why he believes Pant can succeed as an opener, very similar to Sachin Tendulkar did when he was promoted to open in ODIs in 1994.
” Hopefully, it’s going to be a watershed moment like it happened in 1994 when someone put Mr. Tendulkar at the top,” Sridhar stated of Pant’s promotion to the opening spot.
“I think to start with, a left-hander at the top is very, very important. He can make bowling ridiculously silly, and he will walk the talk like Rohit is doing.
“He will play the way in which he would need the group to play. He will postpone the bowling unit. He will create concern and all of the bowlers will deal with him. It will open up the opposite finish,” Sridhar said.
Meanwhile, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar also welcomed the move, saying Pant partnering Rohit at the top will give India plenty of options and allow the competition for the middle-order spots to cool down a bit.
However, Manjrekar said if Pant succeeds at the top, KL Rahul might have to bat at No. 3 and life will be ‘even more difficult’ for Virat Kohli.
Notably, Rahul has been sidelined due to a groin injury while Kohli, batting at No. 3, got out for 1 on his T20I comeback for the first time since February.
IMPACT ON KOHLI, RAHUL
“With Rishabh Pant, the 4-5 spots within the center, hs is out of that race now. He goes on the high and a few folks can breathe somewhat straightforward. Suryakumar Yadav performed at this time as a result of Pant opened. He would have discovered it tough to get in.
“The other thing is this guy has succeeded at the Test level, he handles the new ball well. On a big stage, a quality attack, imagine a T20 World Cup semi-final, he will be able to survive that.
“I feel the chances are limitless. What India have executed is taken out an audacious, sensible expertise who’s barely stifled at No. 4 or No. 5 and set him free on the high.
“It makes life a little difficult for KL Rahul, who might have to bat at No. 3 and it makes life even more difficult for Virat Kohli,” Manjrekar added.
India will look to finish a 3-0 sweep of England after they tackle Jos Buttler’s males within the third and closing T20I in Nottingham on Sunday, July 10.
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