“It’s time to give the entire series to Rishabh Pant” – Former Pakistan cricketer ahead of ODI series decider vs New Zealand

Amid the ongoing debate between Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria has insisted that Pant should be included in India's playing XI against New Zealand in the third ODI. The match will be held in Christchurch on Wednesday (November 30).

Kaneria feels that the team management must stick to the southpaw before showing him the exit door following his repeated failures in the ongoing white-ball tour of New Zealand.

Speaking on his YouTube channel on Tuesday, Kaneria said:

“9:50 – It’s time to give the entire series to Rishabh Pant and then try and show him the exit door. We have given you plenty of opportunities."

Kaneria believes Sanju Samson or Ishan Kishan should be given opportunities in the upcoming series. He said:

"Many wicket-keeper batters are coming up, like Ishan Kishan has been doing well. He has performed whenever he gets the chance. Sanju has been very consistent.”

Here's a look at Pant’s last five innings:

3 vs Zimbabwe (T20I)

6 vs England (T20I)

6 vs New Zealand (T20I)

11 vs NZ (T20I)

15 vs NZ (ODI)

Here’s how Indian wicket-keepers have performed in 2022 ODIs:

Sanju Samson – 284 runs in nine inns @71

Rishabh Pant – 326 runs in nine inns @40.75

Ishan Kishan – 207 runs in six inns @34.5

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“Rishabh Pant is a red-ball player” – Danish Kaneria

Kaneria believes that Pant is a red-ball player who doesn’t fit in India’s white-ball team. He also expressed concerns about his similar dismissals while praising Sanju Samson for making the most of his limited chances.

On this, Kaneria said:

“10:30 – I have been saying for a long time that Rishabh Pant is a red-ball player. He is a superb player in Test cricket. ODI and T20Is are not his class."

He added:

"How he gets out in T20I and ODI cricket puts a lot of pressure on the team, but Sanju builds his innings and takes it to the end, supports the team, provides stability and how he bats, the kind of shots he plays, we can’t forget that.”

Interestingly, Samson is not part of the upcoming three-match ODI series in Bangladesh next month.

Here's a look at Samson’s last four innings:

86 not out vs South Africa (ODI)

30 not out vs SA (ODI)

2 not out vs SA (ODI)

36 vs NZ (ODI)

India's squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Shreyas Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar, Yash Dayal.