Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra recalls Rishabh Pant taking Sanju Samson‘s position as wicketkeeper-batter for the ICC T20 World Cup event. Pant bagged 53-run off 32 balls against Bangladesh in the warm-up match, while Samson managed a maiden off six deliveries. In the warm-up match between India and Bangladesh, India set an 182-run target at the cost of 5 wickets after Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first. The Men in Blue then restricted Bangladesh to 122/9 to secure a 60-run victory.
Rishabh Pant is winning the race against Sanju Samson- Aakash Chopra
Evaluating the game posted on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra noted that Rishabh Pant won the shoot-out against Samson.
“They made Sanju open and Pant was sent at No. 3. There is a simple takeaway from that they got a straight shoot-out done, that both are given opportunities and whoever scores runs will be given a place in the XI because it seemed like neither of them had a certain place, although Rishabh Pant was the frontrunner. It seems like Rishabh Pant is not just a frontrunner now,” he explained.
“He played after such a long time in the Indian jersey, even though it was a warm-up game. He batted extremely well, hit the left-arm spinner for sixes, and played the no-look shot as well. His half-century came at a good pace. So I think Sanju Samson was left behind and Rishabh Pant is winning that race,” the former Indian opener added.
Sanju opened the batting with skipper Rohit Sharma but was declared out by lbw by Shoriful Islam in the second over. Rishabh Pant then smashed four fours and as many sixes in his 53-run knock before retiring out.
“The pitch wasn’t that flat but he looked in good form” – Aakash Chopra on Hardik Pandya
Aakash Chopra lauded Hardik Pandya for his substantial knock.
“Hardik Pandya batted well. I am so, so, so happy because nothing good has happened in his life in the last three or four months. The way he was hitting sixes and timing the ball, the pitch wasn’t that flat but he looked in good form,” Chopra said.
The commentator reckoned that the star all-rounder could deliver an outstanding performance in the T20 World Cup.
“If he remains in such form, although he was slightly expensive with the ball, it could be a very good tournament for him because fast bowling will work here. There is sideways movement and uneven bounce at times, with big side boundaries, so he might have a bigger role,” Chopra elaborated.
Hardik Pandya registered two fours and four sixes in his undisputed 40-run knock. The latter also bagged a wicket but at an expensive cost as he conceded 30 in three overs.