Rishabh Pant
Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opened up on youngster Rishabh Pant's omission from India's limited-overs squads for the upcoming tour Down Under
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) introduced multiple fresh faces while announcing the national side's squads for the much-awaited tour of Australia, set to commence after the culmination of IPL 2020. One prominent name- Rohit Sharma- was missing from all three squads for the tour.
Along with Rohit, Pant- touted as MS Dhoni's replacement in the limited-overs format- also hogged headlines by missing out on a place in the ODI and T20I squad. While the wicketkeeper-batsman retained his place in the traditional format, selectors decided to sideline him in the white-ball format.
Pant, 23, has had a mediocre season in the on-going IPL season. He has managed just 217 runs in 8 innings with an underwhelming strike-rate of 117.29. Yet to deliver a colossal knock for the Delhi Capitals side, Pant's recent form led to his ousting, feels Chopra.
"Pant is misfiring because you have hopes from him. There was a partnership between Iyer and Pant where Iyer was trying but Pant was not seen hitting at all. It seemed his form is far away from him," Chopra said in a video on his Youtube channel.
"That is not the kind of Pant innings we know. His strike rate has not been good this year. His average might be alright but his ability to hit is not coming to the fore and if that happens, it will not work out," Chopra further added.
