On Friday, Former India opener Virender Sehwag criticized the team management’s move to not include Rishabh Pant as he feels that there is some lack of communication from the team management as it can affect the confidence of a player who is being touted as the next big thing.
The freewheeling Sehwag gave the example of former skipper M.S. Dhoni who had said in 2012 that Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, and Gautam Gambhir were being rotated at the top of the order because they are slow on the field. Former Indian opener revealed the talk in the dressing room was that Rohit Sharma needs to be given an opportunity and that is why they were rotated.
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During a talk show in Cricbuzz, Sehwag said, “Rishabh Pant has been left out how will he score runs? If you feel he is a match-winner, why don’t you play him? Because he is not consistent? During our time, the captain used to go and talk with the player (in question). Now I don’t know if Virat Kohli does the same or not. I am not part of the team setup. But people say that when Rohit Sharma went to Asia Cup as captain, he used to talk to all the players.”
Giving the example of MS Dhoni, Sehwag added, “When M.S. Dhoni said in Australia that top three are slow fielders, we were never asked or consulted. We got to know from the media. He said at the press conference but not at the team meeting that we are slow fielders. Talk at the team meeting was that we need to play Rohit Sharma who is new and that’s why there will be rotation policy. If the same is happening now, that’s wrong.”
Pant suffered a concussion while playing the first ODI against Australia in Mumbai where he scored 28 runs. He could not play the second match in Rajkot but was fit for the series decider in Bengaluru where K.L. Rahul was preferred and he has been playing ever since as a wicket-keeper batsman.
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In the first three T20Is in New Zealand, Pant warmed the bench as Rahul continued to stand behind the stumps and even after winning the series 3-0, Pant wasn’t included for the 4th T20I on Friday in Wellington.
