IND vs IRE: Sanjay Manjrekar highlights Rishabh Pant's 'very ordinary' T20I record as he reveals batter's specialty

Former Indian cricketer and cricket pundit Sanjay Manjrekar lauded Rishabh Pant’s adaptability and astute acumen after he hammered a stunning fifty at the tricky pitch of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York in the thrilling ICC T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match against Bangladesh.

The left-handed batter stole the show with a blazing half-century after early dismissals rocked India's batting order. With opener Sanju Samson departing after a mere run and Rohit Sharma struggling at the crease, Pant's furious knock injected much-needed momentum into Team India’s innings against Bangladesh.

Rishabh Pant shines in T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up game against Bangladesh

Pant unleashed a display of aggressive batting prowess, slamming four sixes and an equal number of boundaries in just 32 deliveries en route to his 53-run knock against Bangladesh when the pitch was offering challenges to the batters in New York.

His electrifying knock propelled India to a commanding total of 182/5, setting the stage for a dominant win for the Men in Blue. Then, the Indian bowlers capitalized on Pant's stellar innings, restricting Bangladesh to a meager 122/9.

Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh emerged as the architects of Bangladesh's downfall, each claiming two wickets to secure a convincing victory for the Indian cricket team in the warm-up game.

Commenting on Pant's exceptional performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up, Manjrekar hailed Pant for showcasing his street-smart approach and quickly assessing the situation. The commentator was also impressed with his ability to thrive under pressure on the challenging pitch.

Rishabh Pant is extremely street-smart: Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar further mentioned Pant's remarkable ability to lift his game in challenging conditions, as he highlighted his explosive strike rate of nearly 200 on a tricky pitch against Bangladesh in New York.

While Pant's T20I record is modest on paper, Manjrekar stressed that his exceptional innings in the T20 World Cup warm-up match proved what he brings to the Indian cricket team.

Sanjay Manjrekar said on Star Sports: “The pitch was slightly difficult when he came to bat. We saw Sanju Samson getting out after scoring only one run off six balls. After that, he (Pant) came and his specialty is that he is extremely street-smart and assesses very quickly what needs to be done. He is a batter who scored runs at a strike rate of almost 200 on a difficult pitch. This is Rishabh Pant's specialty. His record in T20Is is very ordinary, an average close to 20 and a strike rate of 120 or lower, but we saw today what this guy can do.”

On the other hand, former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar highlighted the significant difference in Pant's approach against spinners in the warm-up match against Bangladesh.

Bangar admitted that Pant's aggressive strokeplay, including four boundaries and four sixes, grabbed the spotlight, but he highlighted the importance of Pant's patience at the start of his innings in New York.

Bangar further noted that Pant, contrary to the notion that he tends to attack spinners from the start, showed patience, avoided attacking initially, and took his time, especially against the spin bowlers, which really helped him. He feels it helped him to assess the situation well and settle down.