Delhi wicket-keeper batsman tipped as MS Dhoni’s successor in limited overs format
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Delhi Daredevils wicket-keeper batsman Rishab Pant may be the surprise inclusion in ICC Champions Trophy squad.[/caption]Internet Desk: Delhi teenage batsman Rishab Pant is making all the right noises in the ensuing Indian Premier League (IPL). The Delhi captain has already scored 140 runs in 5 matches so far, but most importantly the aggressive intent about his batting has already caught the eyes of everyone. With the form he is in the selectors might be influenced to keep him (Pant) in the Champions Trophy squad, scheduled to take place in England in June.
Pant, who made made his first-class debut in 2015 for Delhi has already made his India debut in the shortest format of the game. The 19 year old replaced Gautam Gambhir as the captain of the Delhi squad in Ranji Trophy this season. He had a string of good performances in the Ranji Trophy that included a triple century and a blazing century off only 48 balls.
He looks to be carrying forward the domestic form into the Indian Premier League this season. Bought by Delhi Daredevils at a staggering Rs 1.9 crore, which was 19 times his base price of Rs 10 lakhs ahead of IPL 2016, he hasn’t let down his owners with his performance so far in the IPL. He recently took India’s premier fast bowler Umesh Yadav to the cleaners, taking 26 runs of an over in the game against KKR at Feroz Shah Kotla.
Pant’s recent show with the bat and behind the stumps had England and DD wicket keeper Sam Billings heaping loads of praises on him. In a recent interaction with the media, Billings reckon he (Pant) could be the ideal replacement for MS Dhoni.
With the ICC Champions Trophy round the corner Indian selectors will be influenced by the recent form of Pant. Although it is very unlikely that there will be too many changes in the 15 member squad, the 19 year old wicket-keeper/batsman may sneak into the squad.
The 15-member squad will obviously include the known faces such as Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin. The fact that the tournament is going to be played in England in early June, the selectors might pick a string of fast bowlers. Pant’s teammate in Delhi Daredevils, Mohammad Shami is most likely to make a comeback in ODIs. All the Indian pacers have been in great form and it will be interesting to see who edges ahead when the playing XI is announced.
India (Probable Squad): Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rishabh Pant
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