Pant perfect Dhoni fill-in: Bangar; Ashwin issues ‘1st, final’ warning

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar believes Rishabh Pant is a perfect replacement for MS Dhoni in the national side as the left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman provides Team India with a much-needed balance in the middle order, which is full of right-handers.

Pant has been in good form in the ongoing Indian Premier League, scoring 171 runs in the five matches he has played for the Delhi Capitals.

“In terms of wicket-keeping, I think it would be Rishabh Pant. I think the way he started this year’s IPL and I think it is very important to have a left-hander as an option because for Team India when it comes to the middle-order as it helps to balance out the right-handers,” said Bangar while speaking on a TV show.

Meanwhile, former India pacer Ashish Nehra also supported Bangar’s point of view on Pant and said: “I am in total agreement with Sanjay Bangar. I think they should go ahead with Rishabh Pant.

Pant should be backed. Every player needs to be backed when it comes to international cricket.”

Dhoni retired from international cricket in August after representing India in 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20Is while affecting a staggering 829 dismissals behind the stumps across formats.

Pant, who has so far played 13 Tests, 16 ODIs and 28 T20Is, was touted as Dhoni’s successor but he hasn’t been able to put up consistent performances when playing for the national side.

He was replaced behind the stumps, in limited-overs formats, in New Zealand by KL Rahul when the Men in Blue last played international cricket.

WARNING FROM ASHWIN: Delhi Capitals off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who restrained himself from ‘Mankading’ Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Aaron Finch, has stated that this was the “first and final warning” of IPL 2020 and he won’t stop himself from running out a batsman at the non-strikers’ end in the remaining part of the tournament.

“Let’s make it clear!!! First and final warning for 2020. I am making it official and don’t blame me later on. Ricky Ponting, #runout #nonstriker, Aaron Finch and I are good buddies by the way,” Ashwin said in a tweet.

On Monday, during RCB’s chase of 197, Ashwin stopped short of his run-up to warn Finch about stepping outside the crease a little too early. The incident happened before the fourth delivery of the third over, the off-spinner held onto the ball and did not complete the delivery, instead pointing out to the Australian batter at the non-striker’s end that he could have gotten him out. Following the incident, Delhi Capitals’ head coach Ricky Ponting was seen with a wry smile across his face in the dugout.

England batsman Buttler was ‘Mankaded’ by Ashwin at a crucial moment in last year’s IPL season during a match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. The manner of the dismissal had created ripples across the cricketing fraternity and beyond, with many former greats of the game lambasting the Indian off-spinner for breaching the ‘spirit of the game’.

Before the start of this year’s IPL, Ponting had a chat with Ashwin over the issue of Mankading — something which the former Australian skipper doesn’t approve.

After that, Ashwin came out with an alternative for ‘Mankading’ mode of dismissal and suggested the introduction of a “free ball” for bowlers if non-strikers back up too far.

“Make it a free ball for the bowler. If the batsman gets out of that ball, the batting team will be docked 5 runs. Free hit adds to the drama for a batter, let’s give a chance to the bowlers too,” Ashwin had tweeted.

KOHLI BLAMES BOWLERS: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli blamed his fielders and bowlers for allowing Delhi Capitals to post a big total after his team’s 59-run defeat in an IPL match on Monday.

The India skipper witnessed his key leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal drop Marcus Stoinis a couple of times. Stoinis cashed in on it and scored a half-century that saw Delhi Capitals post a massive 196/4 wkts in 20 overs.

“Those important chances in between we need to grab when the opportunity comes our way, it is not like we are dropping half chances; we are dropping sitters and those things hurt you. The execution with the ball towards the end could have been better and with the bat as well. Not a complete performance in any regard today,” said Kohli.

Indo-Asian News Service