Perform or lose your place to Sanju Samson: VVS Laxman’s message for Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has tasted success in Test cricket since his foray into the format last year. However, his limited-overs career has gone completely pear-shaped, despite him getting a truckload of chances. Team India has continued to back him, but Pant hasn’t been able to capitalize on the opportunities. The southpaw has often been guilty of gifting his wicket away via some rough strokes.

In 12 ODIs and 23 T20Is, the 22-year-old has averages of 22.90 and 19.88 respectively, numbers which don’t quite justify his potential. His T20I strike-rate of 118.15 is much lower than his career strike-rate of 156.41. Of late, Sanju Samson has been breathing down his neck as the Kerala cricketer has now been picked for both the T20I series against Bangladesh and the West Indies.

Rishabh hasn’t been able to justify team’s faith, says Laxman

Quite rightly, VVS Laxman, the former Indian cricketer, feels that Pant is under the cosh to perform or else he will have to perish and lose his place to Samson. Laxman reckons that Pant has been given a long rope and it’s time for him to up his game in order to retain his place in the eleven.

“The team management and the selection committee have passed on a strong message that we (have) got a backup in the form of Sanju Samson. Rishabh Pant has been given a lot of opportunities and I’m sure that they will be communicating and giving him that security within that group,” Laxman was quoted as saying in Star Sports.

Still feel that Rishabh Pant is an exclusive batsman

Albeit Laxman was a tad critical of Pant for his inconsistency, he also understands that the left-handed batsman is an X-factor, someone who can latch on to good balls with ease. As per Laxman, Pant is lacking ‘clarity of thoughts’ and will be under pressure to score runs in the Caribbean T20Is and ODIs, starting December 6.

“But then ultimately the player has to justify the faith the team management and the selection committee has been imposing on him. Unfortunately, Rishabh hasn’t been able to do that, but he is that X factor. I still feel that he is an exclusive batsman who can come and change the course of the match just by his ability to hit good balls out of the park,” Laxman stated.

“As a batsman, there’s no clarity of thoughts, there’s no doubt that he’s under pressure, because how many times have you seen Rishabh Pant, when he is in full flow, play and he has a different mindset and technique against the spinners. I feel he will be under tremendous pressure to retain his place in the playing eleven,” Laxman added.

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