A crucial factor for the ODI team will be the formation of the middle order. In the ODI World Cup last year, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer held down the fort for India in the middle-order, especially while Rishabh Pant was recovering from a serious car accident.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But with Pant back in India\u2019s ODI team after 20 months, it means India has a situation where three players will be competing for two middle-order spots. In the opinion of R Sridhar, the former India fielding coach, Pant is a must-start player, while either Rahul or Shreyas should be chosen for the three ODIs against Sri Lanka in Colombo.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019m not very sure if Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag make it to the ODI playing eleven because Virat and Rohit are going to be back. So if you look at the top three, it\u2019s going to be Rohit, Shubman and Virat - it\u2019s a given. So in my opinion, between Rishabh, Shreyas and KL Rahul, only two can play. So one keeper has to play.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cEven if you take Shreyas\u2019 performances in the ODI World Cup held in India last year, it was brilliant, so was KL Rahul's. But Rishabh Pant will be that left-hander India needs in the top six. So that is something which to me is a non-negotiable. So Rishabh Pant, to me, will be an automatic choice as a keeper batter, and KL and Shreyas have to fight it out for that spot,\u201d says Sridhar in an exclusive conversation with IANS, facilitated by Sony Sports Network.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In statistics provided by Cricket-21 to IANS, Rahul has been India\u2019s third leading run-getter in ODIs since 2020, amassing 1931 runs in 45 innings. He\u2019s followed by Shreyas at fourth spot, who\u2019s scored 1907 runs in 44 innings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Though Pant has 519 runs in 13 innings in the same time period, the gulf in runs scored by him, Rahul and Shreyas is due to his prolonged absence from the game caused by that accident in December 2022.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Interestingly, Pant\u2019s boundary percentage stands at 59.7%, compared to 45.6% for Rahul and 52.8% for Shreyas. In terms of strike-rate, Pant stands at 107.5, which is higher than the ones Rahul (91.4) and Shreyas (100.4) have.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With his unorthodox strokeplay, Pant shined for India in the T20 World Cup as a counter-punching number three batter, though he did little in the knockouts. The white-ball tour of Sri Lanka gives him a chance to evolve towards being a consistent long-term white-ball batting mainstay for India.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
According to Sridhar, who has been closely watching Pant since he made his international debut in 2017, the wicketkeeper-batter is unlikely to be preoccupied with these matters. He attributes this to Pant\u2019s changed outlook on life and the game after surviving the accident.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI can tell you one thing, Rishabh would not be thinking about that. He would just be taking each day of his life, each game in his life, as a bonus. He will be looking to enjoy whatever he does. I\u2019ve seen him now having extreme gratitude for what he\u2019s got in life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"He\u2019s got a different perspective now after this miraculous comeback, an absolute fairy tale of a comeback, we must say. And aren\u2019t we happy for it? I\u2019m absolutely chuffed for that kid. From here on, he\u2019ll just take each day, each game as a bonus in his life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"He will enjoy it, and contribute for the team\u2019s success. He won\u2019t be someone who will be looking to cement his place in the team or doing a repeat of what he did before the unfortunate accident. He would just be looking to go and contribute for the team, make India win and enjoy what he plays.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"But having a cricketer like him brings so much onto the table for the Indian cricket team. It\u2019s so much of a brand that he brings along with him. If he\u2019s fit to play, I think the Indian think tank will not go anywhere else. He\u2019s the man behind the stumps, and the man in front of the stumps, going to win your games,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sridhar also highlighted how Pant\u2019s decision to rest and treat his knee niggle before the 17th over proved instrumental in India\u2019s ultimate success in winning the trophy. \"He\u2019s the man who is going to change the momentum of the game. Like you saw in the (T20) World Cup final, when things were going terribly against India, he changed the momentum by taking a break, calling the physio onto the ground, taking treatment.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"He broke the rhythm of Miller and Klaasen. Then next over, the game changed on itself and the rest is history. So that is what Rishabh brings onto the table - extremely good cricketing acumen. Batting and keeping is bonuses. Plus, he will bring a great atmosphere in the change room. He\u2019s a fun-loving guy, who will play a prank and always be laughing and smiling.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sridhar also highlighted how Pant\u2019s decision to rest and treat his knee niggle before the 17th over proved instrumental in India\u2019s ultimate success in winning the trophy. \"He\u2019s the man who is going to change the momentum of the game. Like you saw in the (T20) World Cup final, when things were going terribly against India, he changed the momentum by taking a break, calling the physio onto the ground, taking treatment.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n