Former India cricketer Jatin Paranjape praised the current national team management for promoting Rishabh Pant at NO.3 in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 in New York.
Pant top-scored in both of India's games in Group A after being promoted to bat up the order by captain Rohit Sharma.
Pant in red-hot form since comeback
The 26-year-old has grabbed the opportunity with both hands since making a comeback into the Indian team setup after more than a year due to his horrific car crash.
The left-hander followed up his 53 in the warm-up game against Bangladesh with 36 not out and 42 against Ireland and Pakistan to help India win both T20Is with relative ease.
'Directional shift for India in T20Is'
And Paranjape, who played 4 ODIs for India, reckons Pant should continue batting at this position in the future as well.
"This will be a long continuing position at which Rishabh Pant will bat is at No.3. Very, very bright spot for India. On 2 tricky pitches he hung in there, battled it out, and once he gets flatter pitches at No.3 he will murder bowling attacks.
"Very big directional shift for India in T20 cricket over the next few years we are witnessing right now, which is Rishabh Pant at No.3," the former BCCI selector said.
Pant for Team India captain?
Paranjape went on to add that Pant might be promoted to open the batting after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retire and he backed the Delhi cricketer leading the Men in Blue in the shortest format.
"And I dare say that after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are phased out of the Indian team, you will probably have Pant opening the batting in T20 cricket as well. I definitely see him captaining India, absolutely," Paranjape added.
