5 contenders for India's number four slot ahead of ODI World Cup 2023
Post the 2015 World Cup, India have struggled to find an ideal fit for the number-four position in the 50-overs format.
2. Rishabh Pant
Pant’s stocks in the international arena have grown leaps and bounds since the 2019 World Cup. From being a promising youngster hailing from Delhi to being India’s first-choice wicketkeeper across formats, the 25-year-old has come quite a long way.
The Haridwar-born has been a game-changer for India in ODIs and Tests and played some blistering knocks on the big stage. Pant has featured in 31 games in the longest format and scored 2123 runs at an average of 43.32. When it comes to the 50-overs format, he has played 30 games and scored 865 runs at a strike rate of 106.65.
India have tried the wicketkeeper batter at the number four slot in 16 ODIs and the swashbuckling batter has done a decent job scoring 492 runs at a strike rate of 97.61.
Pant provides a left-handed option in the middle order and can counter leg-spinners and left-arm off-spinners in the middle phase of the game. And given that he has fared well for the Men in Blue across formats, the southpaw could be a long-term prospect to bat two down in the ODIs.
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