West Indies vs India: Mohammad Kaif slams India for not giving Rishabh Pant sufficient possibilities as T20I opener

WI vs IND, 1st T20I: India used Suryakumar Yadav as Rohit Sharma’s opening companion in Friday’s match towards the West Indies.

Rishabh Pant of India. Courtesy: Reuters

HIGHLIGHTSSuryakumar Yadav opened with Rohit Sharma within the 1st WI vs IND T20ISuryakumar Yadav scored 24 off 16 ballsRishabh Pant opened the batting for India within the England T20Is

Former batter Mohammad Kaif reckoned that India ought to have endured with Rishabh Pant because the opener within the first T20I towards the West Indies. On Friday, July 29, the Men in Blue used Suryakumar Yadav as Rohit Sharma’s opening companion and the technique didn’t go down properly with Kaif by any stretch of the creativeness.

Pant opened within the T20I sequence towards England and impressed fairly a bit along with his fearless show of stroke-play. Kaif urged head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit to present Pant enough possibilities on the high of the order.

Kaif was of the opinion that Suryakumar is a correct middle-order batter, who can keep on the great work finished by the highest order after which press the accelerator within the dying overs.

“Whatever that was, I did not understand it at all. If you were trying Rishabh Pant as the opener for 2-3 matches, then you should have gone with him today as well. Give him at least five chances. And this strategy of captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid, they back the players at least 5-6 matches,” Kaif was quoted as saying on Fancode.

“But this did not happen with Pant. And Suryakumar has the role of controlling the innings in the middle and adding those finishing touches. In fact, his role will remain as the No. 4 batter when Kohli and Rahul return. But Pant should have been tried. Clearly, I did not understand what happened. Ishan Kishan is also waiting,” he added.

In the primary T20I on the Brian Lara Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Yadav scored 24 off 16 with three fours and one six earlier than left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein dismissed him.

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