Former India opener Virender Sehwag wasn’t surprised by wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s omission from India’s limited-overs squad for the upcoming series in Australia.
In both ODI and T20I squad for the Australia tour, the Indian selectors have picked KL Rahul and Sanju Samson and Sehwag said Pant needs to change his style of play and finish off the game for his team if he wants to replace the Karnataka batsman who has been doing the brilliant job both a gloveman and batsman.
Citing the example of Rahul Dravid when India played him as a wicketkeeper option before MS Dhoni’s arrival because it gave them an extra batting option, Sehwag said team management wouldn’t like him to play purely as wicketkeeper in the white-ball squad.
Sehwag said on Cricbuzz: “It was not surprising that Pant was not included. On the last tour, he was not part of the playing XI despite being fit. KL Rahul had performed well as a wicketkeeper and he was used as the regular wicketkeeper in the limited-overs series, and Rishabh Pant was kept out.”
he further explained, “It might have been a way to send a message to Rishabh Pant that he needs to change his style of play. He would keep losing his wickets, and he doesn’t finish off games, and he needs to learn to finish games. If he does not do that, he would not be given chances.”
Recalling how the Indian team used Dravid as a wicketkeeper option, Sehwag said: “During our time, Rahul Dravid was used as a wicketkeeper because we did not have a good keeper till MS Dhoni arrived. So, we used Dravid as a keeper because he would be used as an extra batsman in the team.”
He signed off by saying, “But here Rishabh Pant is good keeper, but the way he gives away his wickets, Kohli and Ravi Shastri might not be pleased with him. Only Rishabh Pant can make this change - he needs to finish off games in every opportunity he gets. He needs to prove that he has the capability to return to the Indian team.”
