Indian keeper-batter Rishabh Pant has not endured a consistent run in the white-ball formats over the past 12 months and he has now found himself under the scanner of criticism because of the same. He was a part of the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, where he only got to play in two matches in the latter stages of the marquee event, however, he failed to create an impact with the bat. Following the world cup, Pant played in the T20I series against New Zealand, where he scored 17 runs in two matches at an average of 8.50 and with a strike rate of 94.44.
Because of his inconsistent performances and bad form, questions are being raised about his position in the Indian squad in the shortest format of the game. Meanwhile, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has said that the Indian team selectors will have to take a tough call on Rishabh Pant if he fails to perform in the upcoming tour of Bangladesh.
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that the selectors will have to make a decision regarding Rishabh Pant, adding that they will have to decide whether the team should move forward or keep going with him in white-ball formats. Chopra reckoned that Pant has not performed well in ODIs and T20Is for India despite getting so many chances. He said:
“As of now everyone believes that he (Pant) is a special player, extremely talented, is an X-factor kind of cricketer, but he hasn’t lived up to the reputation in white-ball cricket thus far,“
He added: “In Tests, today also Rishabh Pant is not only India’s but the world’s best wicketkeeper-batter. Not many top-order batters have played more dynamic and impactful knocks than him, forget about a keeper. But the truth is that he has not done that good a job in ODIs and T20s considering the opportunities he has got,“
Further, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Rishabh Pant was the vice-captain in the ODI series against New Zealand and because of that he might not be dropped in the middle of the series. He said:
“You have made him the vice-captain currently. Now that you have done that, you will give him two more opportunities in the team. You will ask him to play but what after that? That is a big question,”
He added: “God forbid, if this series is also not good, Rishabh Pant is still part of the team for the next series, but after that the selectors will have to start thinking until when they can stick with him or if they should start moving in a different direction,”
