IND vs WI: Sunil Gavaskar Shares His Opinion On Rishabh Pant Opening The Batting With Rohit Sharma In 2nd ODI

Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has shared his opinion on Rishabh Pant opening the batting with Rohit Sharma in the second ODI against West Indies. India won the game by 44 runs as their bowlers defended the total of 237/9 posted by their batsmen. Rohit scored five in the game while Pant scored 34-ball 18. Overall, the Indian batting did not click in the game as good as they would have liked.

Prasidh Krishna‘s spell of 4/12 helped India to win the match and the three-match ODI series. Sunil Gavaskar talking to Star Sports said that the experiment with Pant opening the batting did not go well and that her would keep that as his last option. The southpaw was trying to hoick the ball as he mistimed a pull shot to get him dismissed.

“I would keep that as a last option maybe. My choice would be either a (KL) Rahul or a Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order. Or if you want a left-hander at the top of the order, I would go back to an Ishan Kishan,” he said during mid-innings show on Star Sports.

India Are Spoilt For Choices For Opening Batsmen: Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar also backed Ruturaj Gaikwad to be promoted as an opener after he recovers from Covid. He along with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer contracted the Covid virus ahead of the first ODI against West Indies.

“But again, India are spoilt for riches as far as opening batting is concerned because there is Ruturaj Gaikwad as well, who is not fit because of Covid sadly. He is somebody who can contribute at the top of the order, looking at the kind of form we have seen from him for the last couple of seasons of IPL,” Gavaskar added.

Gavaskar concluded by saying that Pant was slotted as an opener to take more responsibility with the bat at which he failed. He said that he was sent up the order to take advantage of the first 10 overs but that did not work out.

“I think the thinking behind it was the first 10 overs. It’s where India sometimes don’t score as many as they should be. So, they could have sent Rishabh Pant so that he could take advantage of the field restrictions. This is an experiment. Make no mistake. If it works, it can be a template they would like to carry forward as they go on to the World Cup in India next year. It’s something that they would certainly look at,” Gavaskar said during commentary.

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