In a calculated move, Team India skipper Rohit Sharma strategically positioned wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant at No.3 in the 2024 T20 World Cup Warm-up clash against Bangladesh. Rohit Sharma‘s decision provided Pant with an extended batting stint, marking his return to the Indian squad after almost 17 months, adding excitement to the encounter on June 1.
Pant’s recent performances in IPL 2024 for the Delhi Capitals offer some hope. He’s shown signs of maturity, playing more calculated knocks while still maintaining a healthy strike rate. He’s currently the team’s leading run-scorer with an average of over 42. Despite the IPL improvement, there are still concerns about Pant’s T20 form. In international T20s, his strike rate has been impressive, but he hasn’t quite converted those starts into match-winning scores consistently.
Coming back from a horrific car accident that sidelined him for a significant period, Pant marked his return to competitive cricket with a sensational innings against Bangladesh. He walked out to bat at number 3 after the dismissal of Sanju Samson and played a dominant knock, scoring a quick-fire 53 runs off just 32 deliveries. The knock was a display of both power and finesse. Pant smashed four sixes and four boundaries, showcasing his ability to clear the ropes with ease.
What Rohit Sharma Said
In the post-match presentation, Rohit Sharma said,
“Just to give him an opportunity. We haven’t nailed the batting line-up yet, we wanted most guys to get a hit in the middle. Even the bowlers did pretty well. All in all happy with how things went. Pretty much got what we wanted from the game. New venue, new ground, drop-in pitch – important to get used to it and we managed pretty well,”
In addition to Rishabh Pant’s notable contribution, Hardik Pandya impressed with a brisk 40 off 23 balls, aiding India in reaching a formidable total of 182/5 in their allotted 20 overs. The bowlers showcased their prowess, limiting Bangladesh to 122/9, securing India a convincing 60-run victory.
Rohit Sharma on Arshdeep Singh
Rohit Sharma lauded the exceptional bowling display of left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh during the warm-up match against Bangladesh. The 25-year-old shattered Bangladesh’s batting lineup with two swift wickets in his initial spell, concluding with impressive figures of 2/12 in three overs. He said,
“He has shown us, in whatever games he has played, he has the skills up-front. He has got a very good skill-set (at the death too). We saw it today. He bowled pretty well, swung the ball upfront, and then bowled one at the backend. We have got 15 good players here. We have to see what the conditions are and then see what combination is best for us,”
Fresh off a moderately successful IPL 2024 season, Arshdeep showcased his talent by claiming 19 wickets in 14 matches for the Punjab Kings (PBKS).
As Team India gears up for the start of their 2024 T20 World Cup journey, they are set to face Ireland in New York on June 5th.