Team India Will Win The ICC World Cup 2023 If He...: Kris Srikkanth On India Stalwart

Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth emphasized the importance of wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s presence in the national squad for the ODI World Cup 2023. Kris Srikkanth stated that the Men in Blue would’ve been the title favorites in the tournament at home if Rishabh Pant was fit.

Rishabh Pant was involved in a horrific car accident on the Delhi-Dehradun highway last December. Pant missed the recently concluded World Test Championship (WTC) finals. The left-handed batter is expected to be unavailable for selection for the upcoming edition of the marquee event.

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Pant’s Fitness Is Obviously Questionable – Kris Srikkanth

Kris Srikkanth has expressed concerns over Rishabh Pant’s fitness and said that his absence will affect Team India’s chances of winning the upcoming mega tournament.

“We don’t know the real truth about Rishabh Pant. If he was playing, I would straightaway say India are the real favorites. But Pant’s fitness is obviously questionable,” Srikkanth told India Today.

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“Nobody knows how fit will he be before the World Cup. I doubt it, and a lot of people doubt, if he is going to play the 2023 World Cup. Otherwise, Rishabh Pant factor would have been very crucial,” he added.

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Ishan Kishan Is Going To Be A Good Player – Kris Srikkanth

The former Indian selector stated that the Rohit Sharma-led team have quality wicketkeeper backups such as Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul. He further noted that the team had a mix of young and experienced players.

“Even Ishan Kishan, if he makes it to the team, he could be a dangerous cricketer. I believe Ishan Kishan is going to be a good player. I believe that guys like KL Rahul should be back in the middle order. He will be fantastic.

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You have Rohit Sharma opening, Shubman Gill and King Kohli, who is fantastic in this format and has been doing well. He’s been in form, so I believe India has got the capabilities of winning the World Cup,” he added.

The Way He Paces His Innings Is Extraordinary – Kris Srikkanth

Srikkanth picked young Indian opener Shubman Gill as a player to keep a close eye on, considering his impressive performances in limited-overs cricket over the past year.

“Shubman Gill is here to stay. He has been having a fantastic run from 2022. From January 2023, it has been a golden year for him, be it Test cricket, one-day cricket or T20 cricket,” he further stated.

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“He’s got a double hundred in one-day cricket; you’ve got to understand that. That guy knows what it is; he knows how to pace himself. The way he paces his innings is extraordinary,” he concluded.

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