With the number four batting slot in India’s ODI squad still up for debate, Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting and team advisor Sourav Ganguly have backed young Rishabh Pant to make it his own.
Pant will be under the scanner in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) after his dismal displays for India in the recent ODI series defeat to Australia. The young wicketkeeper stood in for MS Dhoni in the fourth and fifth ODIs where his glovework behind the stumps came under increasing criticism.
However, Ponting and Ganguly are backing Pant to rediscover his 2018 IPL form where he smashed 684 runs at an average of 52.61 and a staggering strike-rate of 173.60.
“I would be picking him in the Indian team as the batsman for No.4 as he can win you the game with his talent. We want him to focus on IPL because if the boys do well they will get a call for the World Cup,” Ponting said in a press conference on Tuesday.
The former Australian skipper’s sentiments were echoed by Ganguly who is predicting a bright long-term future for the young wicketkeeper batsman.
Ricky Ponting: @RishabPant777 is the sort of guy that can help you win the World Cup. #ThisIsNewDelhi #DelhiCapitals #DCPressConference #CoachSpeaks
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 19, 2019
.@SGanguly99: For me, @RishabPant777 is the future. He is a hard-worker and he will be a huge asset for the country in the years to come. #ThisIsNewDelhi #DelhiCapitals #DCPressConference
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 19, 2019
“Look at how Pant played in the last IPL. In ODIs, Pant is coming in and going out because MS Dhoni is there and that doesn’t help. Pant is your future. For the next 10 years you will see a lot of him. He will be a huge asset for the Indian team,” Ganguly stated.
Although Kohli has stated that IPL performances will have no bearing on World Cup squad selections, Ganguly feels the upcoming franchise T20 league will help India decipher their No4 batting woes.
“Many choices are there but I think the IPL will in a way decide who will get that position. I had said (Cheteshwar) Pujara because he has been in good form. I saw (Rahul) Dravid do the role when I was captain. If you don’t have an option you can try him. Pant or (Ambati) Rayudu could be an option. We can give our opinion, but somewhere I feel Kohli knows who it should be,” he explained.
Delhi Capitals will be hunting for their maiden IPL title when the tournament gets underway on March 23. Captained by young Shreyas Iyer, Delhi will be hoping to make amends for their bottom-place finish in the previous edition.
Iyer and his men will open their IPL 2019 campaign against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede stadium on March 24.
