In the second T20I against West Indies on Friday (February 18), Rishabh Pant came in at no. 5 and smashed an unbeaten 52 off just 28 deliveries. The left-handed batter, who came to the crease in the 10th over of India's innings, put on a 76-run stand with Venkatesh Iyer to help India reach 186/5 in 20 overs. The team went on to win the game by an 8-run margin, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Pant batted at no.4 in the first game of the series, but Suryakumar's prowess against spinners may have been the reason for the latter's promotion in Friday's T20I. Former Indian fast bowler Ashish Nehra praised the decision, saying Pant's style of play is well-suited to the lower-middle order.
“Today, they went with the match-up. Suryakumar Yadav is good against spin, so it was good to see that he was sent at no.4. He got out but it happens,” Nehra said on Cricbuzz.
“We have all seen how Rishabh Pant played, the type of strokes he plays. The lesser overs he gets, the better it is. I don't want to discuss much about his ability to hit, because we are already doing it for 3-4 years now. But it might take him more time to polish the ability to build the innings. So, a position in lower order is better for him. Alternatively, you send him at top. For now, he is not a player who can play in the middle-order,” Nehra further said.
Pant has been given a bio-bubble break by the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India and will miss the third and final T20I of the series against West Indies, as well as the T20Is against Sri Lanka.
Pant is not the only one who has been given a break. Former Indian captain Virat Kohli has also been given a break.
