IND vs ENG LIVE: Rishabh Pant opens with Rohit Sharma – India once again opted to change their openers pair as the Musical-Chair of the opening combination carries on. India head coach Rahul Dravid stumped everyone by sending destructive wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to open proceedings with Rohit Sharma. With Ishan Kishan not getting a chance today, fans expected Virat Kohli to open. Seeking advice from cricket experts who advised Pant to open, Dravid decided to take the gamble. Pant scored a quick-firing 26 off 15 before being dismissed by Richard Gleeson. Follow IND vs ENG Live Updates on InsideSport.IN
IND vs ENG LIVE: Opening MUSICAL-CHAIR continues, Rahul Dravid STUMPS everyone, sends Rishabh Pant to OPEN instead of Virat Kohli in 2nd T20: Check OUT
It was no surprise for fans when India’s playing Xi was published. With Ishan Kishan getting dropped for his off colors and Deepak Hooda too making way into the bench, it no-brainer that former India skipper Virat Kohli would open India’s innings with Rohit Sharma. However, surprising everyone, it was Rishabh Pant who went into the crease after England won the toss and opted to bowl first.
This is Rishabh Pant’s first time opening an innings in T20I. He has previously opened once for India in ODIs earlier this year against West Indies. Pant scored 18 runs in that match. In this match, Pant hammered a quick 26 off just 15 balls to set India’s pace in the powerplay.
Previously, In IPL, Pant opened on 4 occasions where he managed to score 104 runs with the highest score of 69. He managed an average of 26 with a strike rate of 136.84.
India’s Opening Pair in T20I in Last 12 Months:-
1. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma
2. KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan
3. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan
4. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan
5. Sanju Samson and Rohit Sharma
6. Deepak Hooda and Ishan Kishan
7. Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson
8. Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant
With KL Rahul missing and Ishan Kishan misfiring, Rishabh Pant with Rohit Sharma became the 8th pairing for India in the last 12 months in T20 cricket.
IND vs ENG LIVE: Opening MUSICAL-CHAIR continues, Rahul Dravid STUMPS everyone, sends Rishabh Pant to OPEN instead of Virat Kohli in 2nd T20: Check OUT
Previously cricketing experts like Parthiv Patel, Sunil Gavaskar and Wasim Jaffer have voiced their opinion of using Pant as the opener.
“…Ishan Kishan has been the highest run-scorer for India in T20Is this year and Rishabh Pant is Rishabh Pant. Although he had a modest IPL, he will bring confidence from that hundred and a fifty from the Edgbaston Test. He can open in the place of Ishan Kishan and can get quite a few opportunities at the top,” said Patel.
“That’s not a bad option at all. That’s a very good option. Look at what Adam Gilchrist did for Australia in white ball cricket. He used to bat down at No.6 or 7 in Test cricket but open the batting in white ball cricket. He was destructive. Maybe someone like Rishabh Pant can be equally destructive. It might give that many overs to play,” Gavaskar said on Sports Today.
IND vs ENG LIVE: Opening MUSICAL-CHAIR continues, Rahul Dravid STUMPS everyone, sends Rishabh Pant to OPEN instead of Virat Kohli in 2nd T20: Check OUT
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