Ever since the Indian World Cup squad was announced the one constant point of discussion has been the omission of Rishabh Pant.
Yes, there has been talk about Ambati Rayudu missing out as well, but Pant has been the favourite for everyone, and the noise has only got louder.
I agree that Pant is an amazing talent – he’s a supremely talented batsman who has impressed one and all within just a year of playing Test cricket – but his omission is valid given what team management is scouting for.
Pant is a brilliant young player and for sure is the future of Indian batting in all formats. However, the one thing I am not convinced about is everyone trying to fit him into a finisher role. A finisher role in limited-overs format requires two completely different skill sets to be effective – one is providing the required impetus to get the team to a good total while batting first, and the second is playing at a right pace while chasing to finish games for your side.
While I agree that Pant can easily fit into the former when the team is batting first, I am afraid he is not there yet as a finisher while chasing.
While Pant is the replacement for MS Dhoni in the limited-overs format, we should not take it literally and expect him to do what Dhoni does so effectively. Dhoni was different. When he came in it felt as though he was always meant to be a finisher. Within a year he was winning games for the country, chasing some big totals with a mature head on his shoulders. Pant isn’t there yet and needs time before he can get there.
That’s the reason he missed out on the selection for the World Cup. In the current scenario the best value you can get of him in the limited-over format is at the top of the order. He can bat at No. 4 or even open the batting in the future. Effectively he can be the floater in the batting line-up that can be used based on the situation of the game. That will give him the freedom to go after the bowling without the pressure of trying to preserve his wicket.
Pant is just 21 and trying to pigeonhole him into a role where he isn’t yet that comfortable could completely destroy his potential and his ability to effectively contribute to the team’s success. While the experts are right about his potential, their premise for the argument is wrong.
We could see the effect of the same in the recently concluded Australian series, in which he was trying things he wasn’t comfortable doing. We need to give him space and provide him with the freedom to express himself as we have done in the Test format.
I am not saying Pant can never be a finisher in ODIs – he will get there in the future, but he isn’t there yet.
Gurlivleen Grewal
Roar Pro
He has played about 10 innings in internationals in 2018 where he was given a decent enough space to maneuver the innings. So he wasn’t explicitly selected as a finisher, more like what is needed and what to expect off him. Barring one decent performance, he has had a tough time knowing whom, when and how much to attack. Even in IPL, he has failed to close out 98% won matches. Mind you AbD didn’t close out matches either – many a time SA suffered in chases. So there is value of such a player, who can counter attack but he is nowhere close in technique. Even his test innings in England, Aus series started with shovels, hacks – he doesn’t trust his technique enough and/or isn’t temperamentally strong enough and/or doesn’t know how to weigh the risk – either way not suited right now for roles in the top order. So doesn’t it make sense to give him a role when the bowlers are under pressure, they tend to contain? I wouldn’t go by the talk of team-mates or the ever-exuberant commentators about closers, finishers. Once he gets a good enough success rate at that position, he’ll bail out the team at 60/4 once or twice and then if he is also performing in tests, he’ll get the role at no 4. Even Raina got that! For him to open – few alternatives have to fail big – Gill, Shaw etc.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
Yup that's what the selectors have been doing. We could see how he was struggling in the ODI series as opposed to how he batted with freedom in Tests and in IPL. He was trying to emulate Dhoni in everything he did including keeping and came a cropper. He just needs to be told to play his natural game without worrying about the results. That probably will happen once MS retires after the World Cup.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
That's exactly what I am saying. The selectors, experts and fans have already assumed that he is the replacement for Dhoni and he needs to do what the latter did. That's the problem and that's the reason he does not find himself in the Indian WC squad. The selectors saying that we are looking for a finisher etc..Pant isn't one and we need to accept that. He will be a huge asset in the top of the order where he can be devastating in the first 20 overs.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
That's what I am saying, he just does not need the pressure of replacing a legend like Dhoni in a role he isn't comfortable with. If he plays in the top order he can bat with the freedom and does not have to care about finishing games for India yet. When he plays more Tests he will mature as a player. Right now the selectors are being unfair on him and also possibly there aren't any spots at the top of the order for him to be tried.
Gurlivleen Grewal
Roar Pro
I don't think he can disappear, people have seen quite a lot of him already. He is clearly cut above for domestic level - the likes of Saurav, Laxman, Hayden didn't go away after failing. And he gets to bat wherever he likes for Delhi in domestic cricket. It is up to him, if he performs well in tests he will be given an even longer rope akin to what Rohit, Dhawan and now Rahul is enjoying. I think this test with fire will only help in improving his awareness and maturity. And post WC, plenty of positions should open - this longevity of Dhawan keeps amazing me, then there are obvious middle order births. I get your point - could he be an opener or no 4? His technique and temperament suggest he isn't there yet. So perhaps he can move up ala Sehwag after gaining some experience.
Simoc
Guest
I haven't seen enough of Pant but expecting anybody to slot into Dhonis shoes is ridiculous. I'm not sure how Dhoni keeps on delivering as he does but he does have a lot of experience and supreme talent as shown by his current stumping ability while keeping (and hitting 6s out of the ground at the end). I would have thought Pant is good enough to be at the ODI World Cup but India is not short of talent.
Neel
Roar Guru
Mate, I reckon a lot of Indian fans are expecting too much from the bloke. He’s 21. Give him time. He has the talent but he does need to learn when and when not to be aggressive. I hope he doesn’t falter, because he is really good to watch when he gets going.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
He does not have to be a finisher. Wicket keepers don't have to bat at 6. Gilly opened for Australia in LO formats while being a Test great at number 6-7. Pant needs freedom to express himself. We don't want to burden him by putting him in the shoes of Dhoni. If he fails he will disappear. We don't want that.
Gurlivleen Grewal
Roar Pro
Your assertion seems correct, people desperately want to have a like for like replacement of Dhoni. But isn't batting at 4 require equal amount of levelheadedness as that of a finisher? Pant in his limited experience in ODI, IT20s tends to come out as someone not mature enough to read the situation as well as Dhoni. Mind you how many guys can you name who were ever as good as Dhoni was? His training as finisher will only mature him for either roles? You first learn how to pace it for 5 overs, then learn to do it for 20. It will still require playing attacking cricket as per his natural instincts but he will know whom to attack and when to play percentage, unlike his knocks now.