New Delhi: Former Indian pace bowler Ashish Nehra believes that wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is the correct person to replace Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the Indian side and also said that the youngster Pant should return back in the blue jersey.
Currently, Pant is in UAE playing for Delhi Capitals in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Earlier this year, left-handed batsman Pant lost his position in the white-ball squad as opener KL Rahul portrayed commanding performance against New Zealand as a wicketkeeper-batsman.
Speaking on Star Sports’ show ‘Cricket Connected’, Nehra said, “It totally depends on which format we are talking about. If we are talking about Test cricket, and if you want to go with the best wicket-keeper then you also have to consider the mindset of the captain and coach. I am in total agreement with Sanjay Bangar, I think they should go ahead with Rishabh Pant. Pant should be backed! Every player needs to be backed when it comes to international cricket.”
Former India assistant coach Sanjay Bangar also echoed Nehra’s point of view and said that in terms of wicketkeeping Pant is the one who can replace Dhoni. Bangar also said that being a left-handed batsman goes in good-turn of Pant.
“In terms of wicket-keeping, I think it would be Rishabh Pant. I think the way he started this year’s IPL and I think it is very important to have a left-hander as an option because for Team India when it comes to the middle order it helps to balance out the right-handers,” Bangar said on the same show.
Pant has played five matches in this year’s IPL and he has achieved to score 171 runs at an average of 42.75. So far, the 23-year-old has played 13 Tests, 16 ODIs and 28 T20Is for India, heading to score 1,198 runs covering all formats of the game.
