IND vs ENG: 'Don't See That As A Regular Spot': Ex-Indian Spinner Feels KL Rahul Will Retake Opening Spot from Rishabh Pant
Published - 11 Jul 2022, 05:09 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:10 AM
In an unexpected move, Rishabh Pant was selected by the Indian team management to bat first in the final two Twenty20 International matches against England last week.
The 24-year-old Pant opened matches for his U-19 team, but he has never done so for India in the game’s shortest version. However, the Indian team opted to play him at the top with Rohit Sharma for the T20I matches against England in order to make room for him in the starting XI.
KL Rahul Will Regain His Spot As Opener Once He Is Back In The Indian Side: Piyush Chawla
He took over for Ishan Kishan, the U-19 team’s captain, who had been in excellent form and had scored the most runs for India against South Africa a month prior. Pant scored 26 off 15 balls and 1 from 5 deliveries, respectively, in the two games.
Former greats and industry professionals applauded the move to elevate the wicketkeeper-batter, but former Indian spinner Piyush Chawla claims that it won’t be a permanent post for him in the near future since KL Rahul will regain it once he recovers from injury.
“The kind of record KL Rahul has, especially in T20 cricket while opening, I don’t see that as a regular spot (for Pant), but it’s something they wanted to try. And we’ve seen a couple of statements earlier from senior players and ex-cricketers that he can do the role that Gilchrist has done for the Australian team.
But KL Rahul is a class act. So, once he comes back into the side, I don’t think Rishabh Pant fits into that spot,” Chawla said on ESPNCricinfo.
Since KL Rahul is undergoing treatment for a groyne injury he sustained on the night of the first T20I against South Africa last month, he was not chosen for the white-ball series against England. A last-minute injury disrupted the plans, and the skipper of the Lucknow Super Giants was forced to captain India in Rohit Sharma’s absence for the whole series.
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