Ravi Shastri, in what seemed a straight warning to Rishabh Pant, assessed that no one’s place is guaranteed in the Indian team.
(L-R) Rishabh Pant, Ravi Shastri, KL Rahul. (Photo: Pant- IANS, Shastri- AFP, Rahul- AFP)
In the wake of an extensive period where India’s next wicket-keeping prospect Rishabh Pant is struggling to repay the trust the team management has put in him, India’s head coach Ravi Shastri opened up the possibility of looking beyond him and using KL Rahul as wicketkeeper.
Shastri, in what seemed a straight warning to Pant, assessed that no one’s place is guaranteed in the team and if the need arises playing Rahul as a wicketkeeper could be “an absolute option”.
“It is an absolute option. You got to see where your strength is. If tomorrow there are a couple of guys in the middle order who are firing with unbelievable innings in the IPL. IPL will be a good judging ground,” Shastri was quoted as saying to India Today.
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“If you feel a guy who can multitask can be used at the top because there’s some firepower at the back who are doing extremely well, then why not,” he added.
Rahul has been in brilliant form in recent times and won the Man of the Series award in the recently-concluded Twenty-20 International (T20I) series against the West Indies. He also played a pivotal role in Karnataka’s winning campaign in Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Despite getting tonnes of opportunities, Pant has failed to make any impression whatsoever. Other than the two Test centuries in England and Australia, the right-hander doesn’t have a substantial performance to boast about.
In 9 One-Day International (ODI) matches in 2019, Pant has made 188 runs with a paltry average of 23.50. His T20I record is also nothing to fancy about. In 26 matches so far, the 22-year-old has culminated 409 runs with an average of little over 20.
His wicketkeeping has also come under the scanner. It was solely because of his lacklustre technique with the gloves which cost him his place in the Test team to Wriddhiman Saha.
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