IND vs NZ: INDIA vs NZ – 2nd T20I-Wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant hasn’t had much to do in T20Is of late. He got one opportunity, and that too as an opener in the 2nd T20I at the Bay Oval, but he failed to cash in. Pant was sent packing early in the second T20I vs. New Zealand in Mount Maunganui on Sunday. He could manage only 6 runs in 13 balls with one boundary at a strike rate of 46.15. Team India experimented with opening with Pant alongside Ishan Kishan in the 2nd T20I, but he continued to disappoint at the top of the order as well. Watch IND vs NZ LIVE Streaming on Amazon Prime Video & IND NZ LIVE Broadcast on DD Sports
Pant got off the mark with a boundary against New Zealand veteran quick Tim Southee in the first over. However, his stay in the middle was cut short by New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson, who sent him cheaply back to the dressing room.
The Indian wicket keeper-batter who has been time and again scrutinised for his poor shot selection played one more bad shot at the BayOval. It was a back of a length ball outside the off stump, and Pant played a cross-batted pull, only to get a top-edge, and Tim Southee did the rest while running back from short third-man.
This was the third consecutive single-digit score for Pant in the T20s. After warming the bench for most of the T20 World Cup 2022, he was dismissed for the scores of 6 vs. England and 3 vs. Zimbabwe.
IND vs NZ: India’s Rishabh Pant EXPERIMENT falls FLAT, ‘Opener’ Rishabh continues abysmal RUN in T20s, scores 6 off 13 in 2nd T20, Check OUT
Rishabh Pant T20 record in 2022
The Delhi batter has featured in eight T20 matches in New Zealand but is yet to cross the half-century mark. Blame it on him being shuffled up and down the batting order, but the southpaw has been inconsistent in the T20I format.
Unlike his heroics in the Test and ODI formats, Pant hasn’t been able to replicate the same success in the shortest format of the game. This comes as a huge surprise given that his game is tailor-made for T20s. At the moment, every opportunity for Pant in the T20 format is like gold dust for the southpaw.
His place in the starting lineup might be at risk with every failure he registers moving forward. Especially when Pant is being given the opportunity to bat in the top 3 as India prepares for the next T20 World Cup in 2024.
It should be noted that India opted to open with Pant in the second T20I, even with the likes of prolific young opener Shubman Gill in the squad. It is time for Pant to buck up and let his bat do all the talking instead of the reputation he carries.
The left-handed batter averages 23.09 in the shortest format with three half-centuries to his name.
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