Former India player Arun Lal has said that wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant can be the future captain of Team India after Rohit Sharma. Pant, who has already captained India in the home T20I series against South Africa when regular captain Rohit and vice-captain KL Rahul were not available, is now a part of the leadership group as well. And the veteran feels that Pant can handle pressure and is not afraid to play his aggressive game and these qualities will help the team if he is appointed as the captain of India in future as well.
“Yes, absolutely (On being asked if Rishabh Pant is the future captain after Rohit Sharma). Lal told Jagran TV. “I always feel that the captain must deserve his place among the top three in the team. He (Pant) is someone who is not afraid to play his game, can handle pressure well, can take the team out of tough situations and such a player can be a great leader. It will be good for Indian cricket if we can have an aggressive player like Pant as captain of the side,” he added.
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However, Rishabh Pant had captaincy exposure very early in his career. He led the captain of Delhi’s Ranji Trophy team even before he had made his India debut. Currently, he is the captain of the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. Pant, who smashed his maiden ODI hundred in the third match against England in Manchester on Sunday, is often criticised for his form but Arun Lal believes it is only a matter of time before Pant takes starts to win limited-overs matches as well.
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“If Pant can play consistently, he will be a hero for the Indian team,” he added. “If you play well in red-ball format, there are chances that you will do well in white-ball format too with a little bit of adjustment. However, it’s not necessary that if you play well in the white-ball format, you will be able to perform the same way in the red-ball format because in Test cricket, you need a different set of skills, the ability to handle different kind of pressure, physical fitness to sustain five-day cricket. I have seen Rishabh Pant changing the tides both in Tests and limited-overs formats. It is not about scoring centuries, but a century that comes under difficult circumstances and helps to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Slamming a hundred at 50 for 5 is more special than scoring a hundred at 500 for 4. These knocks help you stand out. Rishabh Pant is unparalleled,” Arun Lal concluded.
