Rishabh Pant to bat at No. 3 in T20 World Cup? Rohit Sharma clarifies India's batting plan after win vs Bangladesh
Rishabh Pant's performance not only helped India post a formidable total of 182/5 but also raised discussions about his potential role in the T20 World Cup.
Amid a flurry of top-order combinations for India in the build-up to India's T20 World Cup squad revelation in late April, which particularly revolved around whether Virat Kohli should open alongside captain Rohit Sharma, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull, speaking to Cricbuzz, came up with an unusual suggestion of wanting Rishabh Pant at No. 3. On Saturday, following a 60-run win against Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup warm-up match in New York, talks around the possibility of the wicketkeeper batting in the top-order position emerged after he smashed a fiery fifty.
After a swift dismissal of Sanju Samson, who opened the innings for India, and Rohit struggling to find a rhythm on that Nassau County International Cricket Stadium track, Pant's performance at No. 3 was a standout. He showcased his batting prowess, hitting four sixes and as many boundaries in just 32 balls, amassing an impressive 53 runs before retiring hurt. This performance not only helped India post a formidable total of 182 for five but also raised discussions about his potential role in the upcoming World Cup.
ALSO READ: ‘Men vs boys’: India's hammering draws severe criticism for Bangladesh before T20 World Cup
Pant's aggressive batting was instrumental in India's victory. His efforts, including four sixes and as many boundaries, helped India post a challenging total of 182 for five. This formidable score, coupled with a clinical performance from the bowlers, led to Bangladesh being restricted to a mere 122 for nine, securing a comfortable win for India.
Following the match, as there were talks about India's potential batting line-up for the World Cup where Pant could feature at No. 3, Rohit clarified the team's plan for the tournament.
Speaking in the post-match presentation, Rohit revealed that sending Pant at No. 3 was only to give him a chance and that India have yet to finalise their batting combination. He said: "Just to give him an opportunity. We haven’t nailed the batting line-up yet, we wanted most guys to get a hit in the middle."
Among the other positives for the Indian team included Hardik Pandya's aggressive 23-ball 40, and the bowling performances of Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh. The left-armer finished with 2 for 12 while the all-rounder, who rolled his arms for just six balls in IPL 2024, picked up a wicket while conceding 13 runs in three overs.
