Team India Departs for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Why We Think Rishabh Pant Should Be Playing in England and Wales CWC
It was the experienced Dinesh Karthik who emerged as the second choice keeper-batsman after MS Dhoni the final squad. This selection didn't go well among the opinion makers of this great game and of course, fans expressed their disappointment all over social media.
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 begins from May 30 hosted by England and Wales. Team India's 15-man squad departed on Tuesday and one face that Indian cricket fans missed was that of Rishabh Pant. ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Indian Team Departs For England, View Pics of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and other Players Leaving From Mumbai Airport (View Pics & Video) Everyone was in for a shock with the exclusion of the Delhi lad from Indian National Cricket team for World Cup 2019. It was the experienced Dinesh Karthik who emerged as the second choice keeper-batsman after MS Dhoni the final squad. This selection didn't go well among the opinion makers of this great game and of course, fans expressed their disappointment all over social media. As of now, his name remains in the reserve squad.
Moreover, veteran cricketers like Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman also kept their views on this shocking exclusion of Pant saying that his name should have been considered in the 15-man squad. As most of the analyst and experts are calling it a selection blunder, we bring you Rishabh Pant's interesting international records that might question selectors for not picking the young gun ahead of this important tournament. ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli Is the Form Batsman for Last 12 Months, Says Jos Buttler
First Indian Wicket-Keeper to score a Test Century in England
We have already seen De Kock scoring three hundred against India at the age of 20. Young talents are the future of their respective nation and that's what this Under-19 World Cup star Rishabh Pant proved when he was picked to play his debut Test series in England. It was on September 11, 2018, playing the fifth Test match, Pant scored his maiden Test century becoming the only Indian wicket-keeper to score a ton in England.
Rishabh Pant's Impressive Batting and Glovework Overseas
His next best record comes from overseas again. Following the Australian tour, Pant took eleven catches in the first Test match, the most by any Indian wicket-keeper in a Test till date. It ensures his reliable keeping skills with his aggressive batting style. He doesn't stop here, Pant also went on to become the first ever wicket-keeper for India to score a century in Australia in the Tests.
With not much 50-50 over format experience under his belt, Pant still boasts of a phenomenal strike rate of 130 in the ODIs with an average of 23.25 from five games played so far. These records at such a young age do pose serious questions to the selectors. In addition to all of this, Rishabh Pant was adjudged the ICC 2018 Emerging Player of the Year Award. Only time will tell if India indeed miss the services of Pant in England and Wales.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2019 12:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).