Backing Rishabh Pant’s skills, legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar said that the explosive wicketkeeper-batter should be in India’s T20 World Cup squad even if he’s fit on one leg.
Pant, who is on the road to recovery from injuries sustained after a deadly crash in December 2022, has been out of action for a year, and was recently spotted at last month’s IPL auction in Dubai. The southpaw is expected to return to action in the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League for Delhi Capitals, subject to his full recovery.
But despite questions over his recovery and form with the bat, Gavaskar backed his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad. Responding to a question about KL Rahul playing in the Indian team as a keeper for the T20 World Cup, Gavaskar said, “I see him (KL Rahul) as a wicketkeeper as well but I will say one thing before that: if Rishabh Pant is fit on even one leg, he should come in the team because he is a game-changer in every format. If I am the selector, I will put his name first.”
“However, if Rishabh Pant is unavailable and KL Rahul keeps wickets, it will be good because the balance will also get created. Then you have the option to play him as an opener or use him in the middle order as a finisher at No. 5 or No. 6,” Gavaskar added.
The batting maestro also backed the selectors’ call to pick the seasoned duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, the last international assignment for the Men-in-Blue before the World Cup in the Caribbean and the US in June. And with the IPL preceding the marquee tournament, the BCCI selectors will have an eye on the performers before announcing the squad.
“I feel the IPL form will be crucial because that will be the current form. The Afghanistan series is in January. The World Cup is in June. So whoever has good form in March, April and May should be given consideration first, that performance should be given consideration,” he said.
“Along with that, I will also say that even if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have an ordinary IPL, but they score runs there, you cannot score runs in every match, but suppose they make good contributions in five out of 14 matches, you will have to take advantage of their experience, and you can probably pick them in the team,” Gavaskar added.
The former opener also gave an “out-of-the-box” suggestion with regards to Kohli and Rohit.
“I will also say that, it’s an out-of-the-box suggestion, you can take them (Kohli and Rohit) along with the team as well, if you cannot pick them in the 15, because of their experience. If Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in the dugout, imagine what will be the team’s confidence,” Gavaskar said.