Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer feels the best place for Rishabh Pant to bat is at the top of the order. Jaffer believes Pant can deliver the goods for the team while opening the innings as he can hit the ground running in the PowerPlay conditions.
The left-hander hasn’t yet grabbed his opportunity in the shortest format of the game. Pant has mostly batted at number five and six in the batting order in the T20I format but he hasn’t been able to prove his mettle.
Pant has scored 970 runs in 64 T20I matches at an average of 23.1 and a strike rate of 127.3. However, the left-hander has produced better numbers in the IPL as he has amassed 2838 runs in 98 games at an average of 34.61 and a strike rate of147.97.
“The best place for Pant to bat is at the top of the order,” Jaffer was quoted as saying on ESPNcricinfo.
“When fielders are up and Pant gets going at the start of the innings, he becomes a dangerous player like he bats in Tests and ODIs. Once he gets a start of 20-30, then he is dangerous. I don’t think fielders outside doesn’t matter to him,” he stated.
Former domestic giant Jaffer reckons it is difficult for Pant to find the boundaries when he comes to the crease at the fag end of the innings.
“When he comes in at No.5, the pressure is on him and it’s difficult for him to hit sixes. Pant is the kind of player you want to give India a blistering start,” Jaffer added.
Rishabh Pant certainly has the skills to turn the match on its head with his blistering batting and he has shown the same in the Test format. The left-hander will look to grab his opportunities in the T20I series against New Zealand and it will be interesting to note his batting position.
The first T20I will be played in Wellington on Friday.
