New Delhi:
The upcoming limited overs series against Australia will be India's last opportunity to get their combinations right before the forthcoming World Cup in England. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee will announce the squad for T20 and ODI series today and it is widely reported that a number of senior players will be rested for this series. It's known that the swashbuckling opener Rohit Sharma is all set to be rested. This means the likes of KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane may get a final cut in the squad.
However, India legend Sunil Gavaskar backed the young sensation Rishabh Pant and feels India can try a gamble by giving Rishabh Pant an opportunity to open. Recently, Australian sensation Shane Warne had said that Pant can be a good choice as an opener and Gavaskar has backed him by giving a nod to the idea.
"Yes, why not. If you open with Rishab Pant, it opens up a third option for you as well. If he does well at the top, he is someone who can also be played in the middle order," Gavaskar told India Today.
"I can't see why Rishabh Pant can't play as a batsman. He is outstanding. Maybe even open the batting with Rohit Sharma. I know Shikhar Dhawan does a great job but Rishabh Pant opening the batting with Rohit Sharma could be pretty cool too for India. Go with some of these X-factor type things and tactical battles where you surprise the opposition," he added.
Pant had a great outing against Australia in the Test series scoring 350 runs at an average of 58.33. His dream run also includes a blistering century in the final Test. Following this, he also had a decent run against England Lions in the ODI series back home. He was also included in the T20 squad against New Zealand.
With less than four months for the World Cup to start, this can be the last opportunity to see what he is capable of. The team management had tried Rishabh Pant against Windies in a home series but didn't perform to his standards and eventually was dropped in the coming series. This remains to be seen if BCCI goes on his recent form and give him that much-needed extended run.
