Former Team India coach Sanjay Bangar has said that Rishabh Pant could fight for a place in India’s playing XI for the upcoming T20I series against England. Sanju Samson has almost cemented the role of wicketkeeper-batsman for India in the shortest format, Sanjay Bangar highlighted.
India is set to play five T20I matches against England, with the first match being played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on January 22. After the T20I series, the two teams will compete in a three-match ODI series from February 6. Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson will compete for the wicketkeeping role in the team.
Sanju Samson grabbed the chance with both hands – Sanjay Bangar
During a discussion on Star Sports show ‘Follow the Blues’, Sanjay Bangar talked about Rishabh Pant’s place in India’s playing XI. Bangar said that it will be difficult to fit two players in the role, with Sanju Samson performing brilliantly, which could lead to Pant missing out.
“Based on the evidence of the last series, because there is a place for a wicketkeeper-batsman and if the wicketkeeper-batsman in Sanju Samson has taken the chance with both hands and performed so big, it is very difficult to have two wicketkeepers. – The tattoos in the nest,” he answered.
“If he is going to be in the top three, of course, yes, but No. 5 or No. 6, although he was part of the squad that won the T20 World Cup and that led to his scouting. Team India, in T20 cricket, this it’s a level of competition at the moment that he might just have to miss,” Bangar added.
Sanju Samson has been outstanding in T20I cricket. Samson has scored three centuries in his last five T20I innings. Sanju Samson scored 111 runs off 47 balls in the final T20I against Bangladesh, followed by 107 runs in the first T20I against South Africa and an unbeaten 109 in the series finale.
There are also many left-handers in the squad” – Sanjay Bangar
The former India all-rounder said that Rishabh Pant will not find a place in the XI with Tilak Varma and other left-handers in the squad. He noted that the advantage of being left-handed is no longer such a significant factor.
“Since Tilak Varma is also a very good left-hander, whether that left-handed thing comes into the equation is a bit far-fetched because there are a lot of left-handers in the squad as well,” Bangar noted.
He Will Definitely Be In My Team – Deep Dasgupta
In the same discussion, Deep Dasgupta announced that he will include Rishabh Pant in his squad. However, he indicated that Pant may not make it to the playing XI. He said Pant’s best position in T20Is might be in the top three or four, but he has often batted at lower positions in the format.
“He will definitely be in my squad, not necessarily in the 11, because I believe his best position in this format is in the top three or four. He has generally played in the 4-6 positions. For IPL or India,” he said. Dasgupta.
Rishabh Pant scored 359 runs at an average of 22.43 in 19 T20I innings while batting in the top three. In contrast, he scored 850 runs at a slightly better average of 23.61 from 47 T20I innings while batting at No.4 or lower.
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