England vs India | Rishabh Pant opening in T20Is hopefully will be a watershed moment: R Sridhar
Former force India coach R Sridhar welcomed the idea of Rishabh Pant opening the ball in T20I cricket, saying it could be a pivotal moment for the Indian side. Sridhar said the ping ponger has the ability to instill fear in the opposition and take away focus on the other end.
Sridhar’s comments come after Rishabh Pant opened for the first time in T20I cricket in India’s 49-time win over England in the 2nd of a three-match T20I series in Birmingham on Saturday.
Pant replaced Ishan Kishan in the batting department and walked off to the opening pitch with captain Rohit Sharma. The left hand hit 26 shots only 15 shots while India ran up 49 shots without losing in the 5th game.
Sridhar, speaking to Sony Sports, praised Rohit for the move and explained why he believes Pant can succeed as an opener, just as Sachin Tendulkar did when he was promoted. opened in ODIs in 1994.
“Hopefully it will be a watershed moment like it was in 1994 when someone put Mr Tendulkar at the top,” Sridhar said of Pant’s rise to the opening position.
“I think to start with, being a left-hander at the top is very, very important. He can bowling in a ridiculously silly way, and he’ll start the conversation like Rohit is doing.
“He will play the way he wants the team to play. He will drop the bowling equipment. He will create fear and all the bowlers will focus on him. It will open the other end. “, Sridhar said.
Meanwhile, former India player Sanjay Manjrekar also welcomed the move, saying that Pant teaming up with Rohit at the top would give India plenty of options and allow competition for the lower middleweight spots. heat a bit.
However, Manjrekar said if Pant succeeds at the top of the table, KL Rahul may have to stomp on third place and life will be ‘more difficult’ for Virat Kohli.
Notably, Rahul was sidelined with a groin injury while Kohli, hitting the ball in 3rd place, was knocked out 1st in his return to T20I for the first time since February.
IMPACT ON KOHLI, RAHUL
“With Rishabh Pant, 4-5 positions in the middle, hs is now out of that race. He’s in the lead and some people can breathe a little. Suryakumar Yadav played today because Pant opened the opener. He will find it difficult to enter.
“The other thing is that this guy has been successful at Test level, he’s good at handling the ball. On a big stage, good attack, imagine a T20 World Cup semi-final, he’ll last like that. any”.
“I think the possibilities are endless. What India has done is get rid of a daring, brilliant talent who was a little bit constrained in the 4th or 5th position and freed him up in the lead. head.
“It makes life a bit difficult for KL Rahul, who may have to come in at 3rd place, and it makes life even harder for Virat Kohli,” added Manjrekar.
India will complete a 3-0 sweep of England when they host Jos Buttler’s men in the 3rd place tie and T20I final in Nottingham on Sunday, July 10.
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