Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar recently shared his views on Rishabh Pant’s chances of making India’s playing XI for the upcoming T20I series against England. Bangar highlighted the stellar form of Sanju Samson, who has firmly established himself as India’s top wicketkeeper-batter in the shortest format, making it increasingly challenging for Pant to secure a spot.
India is set to face England in five T20Is and three ODIs, but Bangar believes Pant might not feature in the playing XI for the T20I series. He emphasized Samson’s recent performances, which have bolstered his claim to the wicketkeeper-batter role in T20 cricket.
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“Based on the evidence of the last series, there’s one spot for a wicketkeeper-batter, and Sanju Samson has grabbed that opportunity with both hands. His performances have been exceptional, making it difficult to justify having two wicketkeeper-batters in the lineup,” Sanjay Bangar stated during a discussion on Star Sports.
Sanjay Bangar further explained that Pant’s position in the batting order plays a crucial role in team selection. “If Pant is batting in the top three, then certainly there’s a case for him. But at No. 5 or No. 6, despite being a part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad and contributing to the team’s success with his intelligence, the competition is so intense that he might have to miss out,” he added.
Adding to the conversation, former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta shared his perspective on Pant’s role in the team. While Dasgupta would include Pant in the squad, he didn’t see him fitting into the playing XI for the England series.
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“For me, Rishabh Pant is definitely in the squad, but not necessarily in the XI. His best position in this format is in the top three or four. However, he has often batted at positions four to six, whether for India or in the IPL,” Deep Dasgupta remarked.
With Samson’s consistency and Pant’s struggles to cement a role in the middle order, the competition for the wicketkeeper-batter slot in the T20I side remains fierce.
