Rishabh Pant in action during IPL 2024© AFP
Rishabh Pant produced a brilliant performance with the bat as Delhi Capitals defeated Gujarat Titans in a thrilling IPL 2024 encounter on Wednesday. The DC skipper was in fine form as he slammed an unbeaten 88 off just 43 deliveries with the help of 5 boundaries and 8 sixes. The knock reignited the chatter around Pant’s possible inclusion in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024. While the wicket-keeper batter is being considered to be a top contender, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull believes that he does not fit in the middle order right now and things would have been easier if he could bat at No. 3 after the rumoured opening partnership of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. (IPL 2024 points table)
“He’s getting closer. Can he bat at 3? Because I go back to the team I’m looking at (for T20 World Cup), and he doesn’t fit in the middle-order. If he can, he’s getting a step closer to the boarding pass,” Doull said on Cricbuzz.
“He’s a better player than a slogger or hitter. He comes, and he eases his way into his innings. That’s why I say he’s a terrific Test player. He’s a fine batter. But I don’t think he’s a player who comes out and starts slogging, not in modern-day T20 cricket. That’s why his numbers aren’t nowhere near as good as they possibly should. So, my question is, could he bat at 3 behind the skipper and Virat (Kohli)?” he added.
The victory took Delhi Capitals to the sixth spot in the IPL 2024 points table.
“Surely at 43/3, we wanted to just keep going and target their main spinners. If we get something, we will take it on and keep rotating the strike. Everyday that I’m in the middle, I feel better. Every hour on the field matters, I love being on the field. I try to give it my 100% and it takes some time sometimes. I think the first six in the match gives me the confidence in a game. The more time I spend in the centre, the better I feel,” Pant said at the post-match presentation.
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