IND vs WI: Here's Why Rishabh Pant Is Opening With Rohit Sharma For India vs West In The 2nd ODI

IND vs WI: Here’s Why Rishabh Pant Is Opening With Rohit Sharma For India vs West In The 2nd ODI. Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has opened the innings alongside Rohit Sharma in the 2nd ODI between India and West Indies for the three-match series in Ahmedabad.

West Indies won the toss in the 2nd ODI and elected to field first. Kieron Pollard, the regular Windies skipper was missing at the toss and Nicholas Pooran will be leading the side as Pollard caught a niggle. He was replaced by Odean Smith in the first XI. India, on the other hand, went ahead with one change in the form of KL Rahul coming in for Ishan Kishan.

IND vs WI: Here’s Why Rishabh Pant Is Opening With Rohit Sharma For India vs West In The 2nd ODI

As soon as skipper Rohit Sharma informed about the team changes at the toss, it looked ominous that KL Rahul will be opening alongside Rohit as India walked into bat. However, the entire cricketing fraternity was taken aback when they saw Rishabh Pant opening with Rohit Sharma as the Men in Blue walked to the crease.

Now, the reason behind Pant opening along with Rohit has emerged. It is notable that skipper Rohit Sharma has made it clear that the team will be experimenting with a few roles ahead of the next World Cup. Keeping that in mind, Rishabh Pant was made to open the innings in the 2nd ODI in Shikhar Dhawan’s absence.

KL Rahul has done well for India in the middle-order in ODIs in the last couple of years and that’s the reason that he didn’t open with Rohit Sharma.

Regular Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan was also a part of the Indian ODI squad but he contracted the COVID-19 infection and had to be ruled out of the first ODI. He trained with the team ahead of the second ODI but he wasn’t included in the first XI on Wednesday. Team India have a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and if they manage to win the 2nd ODI, they will clinch the series too.