New Delhi, May 18:
The Indian Test team won’t have too many surprises but there could be serious conversations about Rishabh Pant’s future as red-ball format vice-captain when the national selectors meet in Guwahati on Tuesday to select Test and ODI squads for the series against Afghanistan.
It is understood that there is a growing feeling that the leadership role isn’t sitting well with the 28-year-old flamboyant keeper-batter as two seasons with Lucknow Super Giants offers a testimony.
It’s also not to be forgotten that Pant wasn’t tactically very astute when handed captaincy in the absence of Shubman Gill during a Test match against South Africa in Guwahati last November.
“Indian cricket simply cannot afford to lose a batting match-winner like Rishabh. He has won and set-up Test matches with his aggressive batting. There is a growing feeling among men who matter that whenever he has been entrusted with additional responsibility, he doesn’t seem to make good decisions while batting,” a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“Giving him an opportunity to play freely could be foremost on the minds of the selection committee.” Pant’s current form could also give sleepless nights to the selection committee as there remains a question mark about his place as second wicketkeeper in the ODI set-up behind KL Rahul.
With Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan also in the ranks, Pant could feel the heat as far as 50-over set-up is concerned.