I won’t call Rishabh Pant a certainty in T20I team: Wasim Jaffer

Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer opined on Rishabh Pant’s current T20I form, which has been a worry in the recent past. Ever since taking up the captaincy, there has been a considerable decline in Pant’s form in the shorter format and his stint with the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022 was an example of it. The left-hander scored 340 runs in 14 games in IPL 2022 and did not score a single half-century in the season despite striking at 151.78.

Pant was named the captain of the Indian side in the ongoing series against South Africa after KL Rahul’s groin injury, and so far his scores have been 29, 5 and 6 in the three T20Is. He has shown intent for quick runs which has taken a toll on his consistency as his overall numbers in T20Is haven’t been as good as his numbers in Tests and ODIs.

Rishabh Pant still needs to score runs and score them pretty consistently: Wasim Jaffer

Jaffer feels that the return of KL Rahul, who can keep wickets, and Dinesh Karthik being in the mix, might just put Pant’s T20I position in jeopardy. He added that Pant needs to score runs consistently, while referring to his poor returns in the IPL, and reckoned that Pant might not be a certainty in the format given his current form.

“You’ve got KL Rahul. Once he comes back, he walks into the side. He’s a wicketkeeper as well. If Dinesh Karthik is certain to play, then again, he is also a wicketkeeper. So, I am not too sure. The way Rishabh Pant has played recently, I won’t call him a certainty,” Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo.

“I think he still needs to score runs and score them pretty consistently. He hasn’t done that in the IPL. He hasn’t done it in many T20Is. I’ve said that many times – the way he has played in Test cricket, the way he has played in quite a few ODI innings as well, he hasn’t done that in T20Is. So, I won’t say that Rishabh Pant is a certainty for me (in T20Is) going forward,” he added.