While MS Dhoni’s international cricket future might remain shrouded in mystery at the moment, young Rishabh Pant is not thinking of filling the boots of India‘s veteran wicketkeeper just yet.
Pant has been named as India’s wicketkeeper for all three formats for the upcoming full tour of the West Indies with Dhoni making himself unavailable. India chief selector MSK had stated at the time of the squad announcement that Pant was being groomed to take the role long-term in limited-overs cricket.
“He (Dhoni) is unavailable for the series. He has expressed his unavailability. Having said that we had a certain roadmap and plans till the World Cup,” Prasad had stated.
“Post World Cup, we have laid down a few more plans and we thought of giving as many opportunities as possible to Rishabh Pant and to see he is groomed. That is our plan right now and we did discuss this with him (Dhoni),”
The youngster, however, is remaining grounded for now and looking to focus on his own game.
“I know those are big shoes to fill, but if I start thinking about it there will be a problem,” Pant told Hindustan Times in an interview.
Pant is seen as India’s future.
“Right now, I am not thinking about what people say. I am just focusing on what I have to do. I just want to do well for my country.
“That’s the only thing I am focusing on. I take the challenge positively. Now I have to see what I can learn, and what I can do to improve.”
India’s No4 batting spot has long been an issue for long with no batsman being able to make that position his own over the last few years. Pant had some decent outings for India at No4 in the recent World Cup and the wicketkeeper batsman has revealed that he has been practising for the role.
“I loved batting at No. 4. It was nothing new for me as I have played at No. 4 before, like in the IPL. I had been practising for the same role,” he said.
Pant will be now hoping to impress further in the tour of West Indies which gets underway on August 3 with the first T20I at Florida, United States. India are slated to play three T20s, three ODIs and two Tests as part of their tour of the Caribbean.
