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Sunil Gavaskar backs Rishabh Pant for Australia series

Dixit Bhargav
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Sunil Gavaskar backs Rishabh Pant for Australia series

Sunil Gavaskar backs Rishabh Pant for Australia series: The legendary Indian cricketer wants the selectors to try the young southpaw before World Cup.

At the start of 2019, India were left with 13 ODIs to put their best foot forward ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Having won ODI series against Australia and New Zealand, India seemed to have made optimum use of the eight matches which they’ve played.

Because winning a series in Australia and New Zealand is no mean task, it calls for approbation for the whole team. Having said that, what has served as a better purpose for the team is them almost zeroing down on their prospects for the much talked about world event.

From fast bowler Mohammad Shami pressing his case with a ‘Man of the Series’ performance in New Zealand to middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu also proving his mettle at No. 4, India have gained genuine positives from the series.

Having rested captain Virat Kohli, the team management also got the opportunity to try out a rookie batsman in Shubman Gill. While that experiment didn’t reap the expected results, it went down a learning curve for the 19-year old cricketer, according to stand-in captain Rohit Sharma.

With Australia slated to tour India later this month for a couple of T20Is and five ODIs, it will be the last chance for India to try whosoever they want to ahead of the World Cup.

Former India captain and legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar recently opined regarding wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant getting a proper go in the Australia series. Since the 21-year old cricketer bats left-handed, Gavaskar felt that his inclusion alongside MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik would make an impact in the middle-order.

Sunil Gavaskar backs Rishabh Pant for Australia series

“I would also keep Rishabh Pant. He brings that left-handedness in the top lineup as well. And I would look at playing him in the team. I will look to play him in the five one-dayers that India plays against Australia in about two weeks time.

“That will give us a fair idea about how the young kid is shaping up and give him some little more responsibility at say 4 or 5 because at No.6 or 7 he just going to bang-bang and blast it around and that is not what you want to see. That left-handed option in the middle order is very crucial. All I am saying, take a punt with Rishabh Pant,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Dixit Bhargav

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Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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