It was refreshing to see Rahul Dravid experiment with Rishabh Pant as an opener in the recently-concluded T20I series against England. There have been many fans and pundits alike who are firm supporters of Pant’s abilities as an opener in white-ball cricket. So was this the right move and should India stick with it going forward? Let’s find out here.
SO FAR IT HASN’T MATERIALISED INTO INTERNATIONAL RUNS
The intent by the team management was spot on but it hasn’t resulted in Pant scoring big runs in white-ball cricket. He has opened thrice for India in white-ball cricket, once in an ODI against the West Indies and twice in the recently concluded T20I series in England.
In those three matches, Pant managed to score just 45 runs with 26 being his highest. The move ideally makes sense but is yet to result in any substantial score.
FAVOURITE POSITION IN UNDER-19 CRICKET
Rishabh Pant came through the ranks opening the innings for his side. In the eleven matches he played as an Under-19 cricketer, he opened the innings on all instances. He scored 454 runs at a healthy average of 41.27 and a highly impressive strike rate of 110.46.
In 2016, Pant broke the record of the fastest fifty in Under-19 cricket in the World Cup, when he smashed a half-century in just 18 deliveries. If given the chance to open the innings in international cricket, Pant can go on to break all such records in senior cricket as well.
CAN REPLICATE THE LIKES OF SEHWAG AND GILCHRIST
We’ve seen previously how the likes of Virender Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist became twice the players when their captains gave them the chance to open the innings in white-ball cricket. Rahul Dravid who has seen the growth of Pant as a cricketer closely will be hoping for Pant to replicate the impact Sehwag and Gilchrist had as openers.
By opening the innings, Pant gets the chance to try his shots from the first ball as the fielders are in the inner circle during the mandatory powerplay. Pant relished the time when there are fewer boundary riders as we’ve seen in Test cricket.
In the past year or so, Pant has struggled to have any meaningful impact batting in the middle order in white-ball cricket. The bowlers have plenty of fielders on the boundary lines which stops Pant from getting quick runs. Eventually, he runs out of patience and players a loose shot. By having him as an opener, by the time the spinners come into play with fielders on the boundary, Pant would have gotten his eye in and once that happens no ground in this world is big enough for the southpaw.
Read: What Has Led To England’s Resurgence In Test Cricket?
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