(PTI Photo)
Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar praised the decision made by India head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma to send Rishabh Pant to bat at number 3 during the T20 World Cup. Initially, this strategy faced criticism, with doubts whether Pant could perform effectively in that position. Some even suggested Sanju Samson as an alternative. However, Pant exceeded expectations and quickly adapted to the role.
This change was first seen in the T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match against Bangladesh, where Pant showcased his suitability at number 3. Throughout the group stage matches against Ireland, Pakistan, and USA, Pant emerged as India’s top batsman, scoring a total of 96 runs. His standout performance of 42 runs against Pakistan, during a critical phase of the match, demonstrated his maturity and reliability under pressure.
Sanjay Manjrekar recently lauded the strategic decisions made by Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma during an interview with Star Sports. He commended their choice to alter the batting order, opting to keep Yashasvi Jaiswal on the bench while having Virat Kohli open alongside Rohit Sharma.
Another decision that impressed Sanjay Manjrekar was the team’s move to promote Rishabh Pant up the batting order. Pant, typically batting at number 4, 5, or lower, had fulfilled a similar role for Delhi Capitals during IPL 2024.
Sanjay Manjrekar emphasized Pant’s exceptional adaptation and adjustment to the number 3 position, which initially surprised him but ultimately proved to be a brilliant move by the management.
“They (team management) want more and more impact players, at every position down the order and Rishabh Pant, I didn’t expect him to be batting at No. 3, and what a brilliant move it has turned out to be, starting from that warm-up game against Bangladesh, when Samson and Rohit Sharma took some time to get used to the surface,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.
Sanjay Manjrekar singled out Rishabh Pant for his exemplary performance under challenging conditions in New York. Despite the difficult drop-in pitch that made scoring runs tough for batsmen, Pant showcased his class and determination, contributing significantly to his team’s success in adverse situations.
“Pant has showed his class. He has been India’s best batter in this tournament so far, and on a difficult pitch, and that is Rishabh Pant’s class,” Sanjay Manjrekar concluded.
