Haven’t Seen Rishabh Pant Performing Role Of Finisher: Aakash
Chopra further questioned Ravindra Jadeja’s finishing skills while playing T20 for India and said that he is yet to succeed
Mumbai: Former India batter and Analyst Aakash Chopra has expressed that lack of form in the middle and lower order is the reason why Team India has not been able to finish with a flourish at the T20 World Cup 2021.
Chopra has questioned the role of finishers in the match and said that Rishabh Pant is batting more like a top-order batter. Also Read: India Think IPL Is Enough, They’re Not Taking International Series Seriously: Akram
Discussing India’s batting woes on his YouTube channel, Aakash said that, “Form is what India is lacking (in the finishing department). Hardik Pandya hasn’t scored runs in 2021. As for Rishabh Pant, he is batting like a top-order batter. Even in the IPL, we saw that he came in at No. 4. Where did he play the role of a finisher in any of the matches? I cannot recall any game where he performed the role of a finisher in the IPL that just ended.”
The 44-year-old further added that Pant is more looking like No.4 batter and Hardik is not in any kind of form. Also Read: God Decides Your Destiny, I Will Be Back On Pitch Hopefully In February: Yuvraj
“Even if we go back to the England series, Pant wasn’t doing the finishing job. He is looking more and more like a No. 4 batter. So, India is not getting that swashbuckling finish in T20 cricket. And Hardik Pandya is not in any kind of form. These two were supposed to be India’s finishers,” said Chopra
Pandya scored 11 off 8 against Pakistan and 23 off 24 against New Zealand, while Pant made 39 off 30 against Pakistan and 12 of 19 versus the Kiwis. Also Read: Kohli’s 9-Month-Old Daughter Gets Rape Threats Online, DCW Deeks Police Report
Chopra further questioned Ravindra Jadeja’s finishing skills while playing T20 for India and said, “He is not a proven performer in T20Is yet.”
He further pointed out that while Ravindra Jadeja has excelled in the role of a finisher in the IPL, he is yet to replicate the same at the T20I level. Also Read: Have Not Seen Such Body Language In a Long Time; R Ashwin’s Absence Is A Mystery: Dilip Vengsarkar
The former cricketer admitted that the all-rounder has the talent to succeed in the role for India and said, “Jaddu (Jadeja) is a good finisher. He has performed the role in the IPL but in international T20 cricket, we haven’t seen him repeat the exploits. He has the reputation and the potential as well but we haven’t seen those special performances at the top level yet. We are all assuming that it will happen. But he is not a proven performer in T20Is yet. He has a strike rate of just over 110 (113.77).” Also Read:Morgan Is To England What Dhoni Is To India: Dinesh Karthik
Jadeja was the top scorer for India in the match against New Zealand, contributing an unbeaten 26 off 19.
India has had a disastrous run in the T20 World Cup 2021 so far, going down to Pakistan by 10 wickets and New Zealand by eight wickets.
India will face Afghanistan on November 3, hoping to register their 1st victory in the tournament and in the race to qualify for Semi-finals.
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