ICC World Cup 2019: If Rishabh Pant makes it to the squad, how well is he likely to perform?

After the ongoing IPL 2019 extravaganza is over, the whole of the cricketing world will get ready to watch the biggest event of the game. The World Cup 2019, which will take place in England and Wales from 30th of May 2019, promises to be a blockbuster event in more ways than one.

The Indian fans will hope that the Men in Blue win their third World Cup title, as they will go into the tournament as one of the favourites. Unlike the previous Indian ODI teams, who were mainly dependent on their batsman, the present team has match winners both with the bat and the ball.

The Indian team is also blessed with two of the best wicketkeeper-batsmen of the modern day game - MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant. The legendary Dhoni will be donning the gloves and playing the role of the main middle order batsman for the team in the World Cup. And Pant, whose selection is still not confirmed, will be hoping that he can seal his spot with continued excellent performances in the IPL.

If Pant is indeed selected, how will he perform on the biggest stage in the sport? Here is a look at three reasons why he has the potential to become one of the tournament's biggest stars:

#1 Ability to score big runs

Pant is not only a big hitter, he also possesses the unique ability of playing big innings consistently, as he has shown in his Test and IPL career.

Pant has been a prolific scorer in all forms of the game in the last few years. His experience of playing in English conditions in the recent past, where he was successful with the bat, would give him further confidence going into the World Cup.

If Pant continues his good form in the World Cup, then he surely has the chance to play quite a few match-winning innings for his team.

#2 Ability to finish matches

Rishabh Pant hitting his trademark "One Handed Six"

Pant is one of the most attacking batsmen in modern day cricket. He has the ability of scoring runs at a tremendous pace and can hit sixes and fours at will.

Pant's devastating batting style makes him a threat for any opposition team. It is almost impossible to keep him quiet, and if he is at the crease till the end of the innings, then the opposition has very little chance of winning.

In modern day ODIs, where most of the matches are high scoring, a player like Pant is like a jewel for any team. He will most probably play in the middle order, and alongside his idol, MS Dhoni, will definitely play an important role in big run chases.

If Pant can successfully finish matches for India in the World Cup, then he will definitely carve out a place for himself in folklore.

#3 Improved performance behind the stumps

Wicket-Keeping of Rishabh Pant

Batting has been Pant's strong point from the very beginning of his career. And although his keeping skills were not up to the mark at first, he has gained confidence with time and improved as a keeper by leaps and bounds.

In the ongoing IPL tournament, Pant has been nearly flawless behind the stumps. Some of the catches that he has taken in the tournament have been truly world-class.

If Pant is able to continue his upward curve as a keeper, then he can end up being one of the star keepers of the tournament too.