T20 World Cup: Suresh Raina on Rishabh Pant- Former batter Suresh Raina feels the left-handed Rishabh Pant could be the X-factor for India alongside Hardik Pandya in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. Follow India T20 World Cup 2022 Live updates with InsideSport.IN
T20 World Cup: Suresh Raina bats for Rishabh Pant, says presence of the left-hander with Hardik Pandya could be X-factor for India
With all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s injury ruling him out of the tournament, Pant, who has an excellent record in Australia, could do what the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Raina once did along with former skipper MS Dhoni. Under Dhoni, India triumphed in the inaugural World T20 in 2007, the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, the last ICC tournament the team has won.
“I would say the presence of a left-handed batter would be very important in the middle,” Raina said in an exclusive interview with PTI on Friday.
He added: “From No. 1-6, we don’t have a left-hander and I’m sure the opponents will have two-three left-handed bowlers. We have seen it in the past — 2007, 2011 and 2013 — the role Gauti, Yuvi Pa and I played.
“You need to bring the X factor with Hardik and who can be the X factor? I think Rishabh being a left-hander could be better,” the 35-year-old responded to a query whether India should prefer Pant over Dinesh Karthik as the wicketkeeper-batter.
T20 World Cup: Suresh Raina bats for Rishabh Pant, says presence of the left-hander with Hardik Pandya could be X-factor for India
A member of the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy winning teams, Raina further said the left-right combination in the middle is needed to upset the rhythm of the rival bowlers. “When Yuvi Pa and I played, we would scare the opponents. Now Rahul, Rohit will have to decide how they have to go about it. I’m sure they must be thinking over it, but whoever they play, we have to win.”
Karthik has been the designated finisher of the team but it’s unlikely that India would go for two wicketkeeper batters in the same playing XI.
“DK has got an opportunity, he has been given a role. But I’m not saying whether they should prefer Pant over DK. Whoever gets a chance, needs to take a lot of responsibility and win the game,” said Raina, the first Indian to hit centuries in all the three formats of the game.
“A left-right combination can upset the rhythm, especially when the grounds in Australia are big. It’s important to have a lefthanded batter in the middle. Pant has done really well in Australia and won the Test series there. So we’ll see.”
T20 World Cup: Suresh Raina bats for Rishabh Pant, says presence of the left-hander with Hardik Pandya could be X-factor for India
