Rishabh Pant needs to be given a long run at No.4 reckons former selector Devang Gandhi

Rishabh Pant is enjoying the best time of his career. The 23-year-old has started the year 2021 with a bang. Pant has already scored 515 runs in Tests played in 2021, and has scored his runs at an average of 64.38. Also, he has scored a hundred and 4 fifties in the 10 innings that he has played this year in the white flannels.

And now, due to his excellent exploits with the willow in Test cricket this year, there is a very good chance that Pant will take the field against the England side in the first T20I starting on 12th March 2021. Now, former selector of the Indian side, Devang Gandhi has stated that Pant should be given a long run in the side at the No.4 slot.

Gandhi also said that Pant should be told that he would play every match irrespective of his performances. The former selector also added that the Indian side should not be in a position like they were in the 2019 World Cup, where the batsman who could occupy the crucial No.4 slot could not be finalized. He also said that players should have enough chances to prove their worth and India should not go in with half baked players for the next World Cup.

“Pant needs to be given a long run at No.4. So does someone like Suryakumar Yadav. He should be told you’ll get all five games here. You don’t want to be in a position like 2019 when you couldn’t zero in on a No. 4 batsman even a series before the World Cup. You don’t want half-baked players going into a World Cup. You would want players to have enough games under their belt,” said Gandhi as quoted by Times of India.

Devang Gandhi offers his opinion on like-for-like backups that India have

Gandhi also added that the arrival of T Natarajan is a massive boost for the Indian side as he could act as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement because of his ability to bowl yorkers at will. Gandhi further opined that Deepak Chahar needs to develop his bowling, especially in the death overs if he has to be considered as a replacement for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He concluded by stating that the like-for-like system helps India in formulating their strategy.

“The emergence of T Natarajan is a big boost as he could come in as Bumrah’s replacement with his yorkers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return is good news but Deepak Chahar needs to develop his death bowling if he is to be considered as Bhuvneshwar’s like-for-like backup. The like-for-like backup system helps in formulating team strategy,” concluded the 49-year-old.