Why captain Kohli should stick with Rishabh Pant

Ever since Rishabh Pant’s reckless shot at a crucial stage of the ICC World Cup-2019 semi-final against New Zealand many believe he should not be considered as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s replacement in all three formats. The latest to voice his opinion in this regard was one of India's greatest wicket-keepers and 1983 World Cup winning team member Syed Kirmani.

Talking to The Telegraph Kirmani said, "It’s unfair that Pant will be playing in all formats. When somebody is not in form, you should try out the man who has already played and performed for the country. And that person is Wriddhiman Saha. He should be given a fair chance in Test matches."

Kirmani said, "Pant is certainly gifted, but he should be groomed nicely and properly in the domestic structure. Once he has shown his consistency and the patience required in batting, only then he should be given a chance."

Although Kirmani was probably right about giving a chance to Saha, one should not forget that West Bengal player is already 34 and it is debatable how much of top class international cricket is left in him.

On the other hand, Pant is just 21 years old and despite his impatience and absurd shot selection he has shown his potential at various national and international tournaments. One can also argue that a player of Pant's caliber will get better with time.

Rohit Sharma is a perfect example of how a young batsman can transform himself into a most vital cog of the team despite several failures in the early phase of his career.

Coming into the limelight after a splendid century against Namibia following a blitzing 24-ball 75 versus Nepal in the Under-19 World Cup-2016, Pant demonstrated his skills in last year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).

As his team Delhi continued to struggle during the tournament, Pant notched up 684 runs with an stunning average of 52.61 in 14 matches. His 128* against Hyderabad is still one of the most explosive innings of the tournament.

Pant's Test debut against England in 2018 wasn’t a memorable one, but in the third Test match of his career, he scored a magnificent century and booked his ticket for the cricket Down Under. As India won its first Test series in Australia after an impressive all-round performance, Pant took a little time to show his true class.

Australia v India - 4th Test: Day 2

Scores of 25, 28, 36, 30, 39, 33 in the first three Test matches against Australia seemed to suggest that Pant had done enough to keep his place in the team as a youngster who needs proper guidance to be successful in the long run, but with the score of 159 not out in the last match of the series he made a statement that he is ready to face the big guns of world cricket on regular basis. In the World Cup, he displayed flashes of his potential while playing at the crucial no.4 position for India.

Age and potential are not the only reasons for captain Virat Kohli to stick with Pant. Selectors also have faith in Pant, which showed during his selection for the World Cup and ongoing series against the West Indies.

K.S Bharat, Ishan Kishan, and Sanju Samson are potential alternatives of Pant, but Pant’s unorthodoxy and his ability to change the game on his own at any given stage of the match sets him apart from rest of his compatriot.