‘Rishabh Pant has great cricketing mind. He will go on and captain the national side’: Ex-India batter’s big prediction

While Kuldeep Yadav wove his web around Kolkata Knight Riders’ batsmen to help Delhi Capitals win by four wickets, Rishabh Pant was chastised for not bowling all of the chinaman’s overs. In the game against KKR, Kuldeep took 4/14 but only bowled three overs, prompting Pant to be questioned about his leadership decision. The youthful wicketkeeper batter stumped the opposition and took a wonderful low catch, but he failed to make an impression with the willow. He perished after scoring only two runs, leaving his team stranded at 84 for five in a 147-run chase.

Pant may have had a difficult day at work, but he has the support of former India batter WV Raman, who sees him captaining the national team in the future. Last year, he guided the Capitals to the playoffs, but they were unable to proceed to the championships.

“Rishabh Pant has a great cricketing mind, but he is on a learning curve; and the last couple of years he has been working on his keeping and fitness and has shown remarkable improvement. I believe Pant will go on and captain the national side, and as to when, we will wait and see. For now, he has to learn the ropes in the next one and two years as far as captaincy is concerned,” Raman told cricket.com.

Raman feels Pant is still developing, citing his improved fitness and effort behind the sticks as evidence. Raman went on to discuss the Capitals’ middle-order meltdown against Umesh Yadav, who came back 3/24 to torment the opposing hitters. Before Rovman Powell blasted an undefeated 16-ball 33 to help Delhi win two key points, David Warner, who scored 42, fought alone at the top.

“I think they will need to give a bit of thought about their middle-order and how it is going to shape up. They look like a well-balanced side, and the important thing is what happens at an advanced stage when the openers fail.”