NEW DELHI: According to former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, Rishabh Pant ought to be included in the T20 World Cup team because he is capable of doing things that the majority of Indian wicket-keeper batters are not.
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After a shaky 44 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pant was at his brilliant best on Wednesday night against Gujarat Titans, hammering eight sixes and five fours with a strike rate of 204.6. Against GT, his unbeaten 88 in 43 deliveries inning helped DC to 224/4.
Pant teamed up with Axar Patel when DC was down 44 for 3, and between the two batsmen, they contributed 113 runs in 68 deliveries.
"The only reason why we are debating that is because of the option that we have. There is a Sanju Samson as an option and KL Rahul, two very exciting one but the thing about Rishabh Pant and that is why I will back him all the time in the 15, in the playing 11 as well Come the big stage, Semi-final of T20 World Cup. This is a guy who will get you a hundred in 60 balls and win the game," said Sanjay Manjrekar on Star Sports Cricket Live.
"Now that is something not too many In the Indian team will do it. We've seen the Indian team come into the final rounds and not quite deliver in the big matches Rishabh Pant is temperamentally just in a different kind of space where you know that kind of stage, platform Just allows him to flourish more. He just relaxes in that kind of a situation," he added.
It was Pant's highest score of the 2024 Indian Premier League. With an average of 48.86, he has now scored 342 runs in nine matches, including three half-centuries. The star batter is in the lead in the competition to be the T20 World Cup's wicketkeeper batter thanks to his explosive 88 not out knock.
Another former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta was confident of Pant's inclusion in the playing XI and said, "He's there in my playing 11. Before today, I think we had this chat before the game as well And I said without a shadow of doubt Rishabh Pant walks into my playing 11."
"The only doubt before the IPL started was his fitness level after whatever happened a year and a half ago. What kind of physical state is he in and if he's fit which he is, he's better than fit. Actually, you know what I was having a chat with him. He's actually lost six kilos in the last four or five months and he's been working really hard. So yeah, let's talk about Rishabh Pant. I mean he's fitter, he's quicker, he's batting better. Without a shadow of doubt. I think that is not even a debate as far as I'm concerned. 15, Yes, he's there," he added.
Participating teams have until May 25 to make changes to their original selections after the ICC's submission date of May 1.
(With IANS inputs)
1/10:Rishabh Pant blitz leads Delhi Capitals' win over Gujarat Titans
AFP
2/10:The Rishabh Pant Show
<p>Rishabh Pant virtually sealed his spot as India's first choice wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup with a belligerent unbeaten half-century in Delhi Capitals' narrow four-run win over Gujarat Titans.</p>AFP
3/10:Pant-Patel duo
<p>Skipper Pant and Axar Patel forged a blistering stand of 113 runs off 68 balls en route to quickfire individual half-centuries to power DC to 224 for 4 in their must-win game.</p>AFP
4/10:Bombardment of boundaries
<p>Sent in to bat, Pant led from the front, remaining unbeaten on 88 off 43 balls (with five 4s and eight 6s), his innings proving to be a timely reminder to the national selectors.</p>AFP
5/10:Axar at 3
<p>Pant's maturity showed as he paced his innings brilliantly in the company of Axar, who made 66 off 43 balls after being promoted to the third spot.</p>AFP
6/10:Gill goes early
<p>Chasing 225, GT lost skipper Shubman Gill in the second over but Wriddhiman Saha (39) played some delightful shots.</p>AFP
7/10:Sudharsan's stay
<p>Sudharsan, who got a reprieve in the fifth over, used his long handle to great effect to notch up his fifty off 29 balls.</p>AFP
8/10:Sudharsan's downfall
<p>But with the asking rate constantly creeping up, Sudharsan had to go for his shots which eventually led to his downfall as he was caught by Axar off Salam at long-off.</p>AFP
9/10:Rashid falls short
<p>Needing 19 runs off the last over, Rashid fell short despite hitting Mukesh Kumar for two consecutive fours in the first two balls and then sent the pacer over the fence in the penultimate delivery.</p>AFP
