Team India can benefit from Pant's flexibility, feels his coach Sinha

There was a big hue and cry when wicketkeeper-batsman Pant was not initially picked in India's 15-member World Cup squad after the national selectors preferred the experienced Dinesh Karthik instead

Birmingham: It was a day of mixed feelings for coach Tarak Sinha. While on one hand, one of his most famous wards, Shikhar Dhawan had been ruled out of the World Cup, having not recovered well from his thumb injury, on the other, another promising student, Rishabh Pant had been picked as his replacement.

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There was a big hue and cry when wicketkeeper-batsman Pant was not initially picked in India's 15-member World Cup squad after the national selectors preferred the experienced Dinesh Karthik instead.

Sinha and Pant thereafter began focussing on India's tour to the West Indies which begins on August 3.

"We were on the training ground the next day after the World Cup team was announced. We were not preparing for the World Cup because he was not selected. So, we were training for the West Indies tour, working on his wicketkeeping and also prepared as per the pitches he would encounter in West Indies," Sinha told mid-day from New Delhi.

However, Sinha is confident that Pant will adapt quickly to English conditions. "He was in England for quite a few days during the India 'A' tour and then with the Test team [last year]. So, he has a fair bit of knowledge about the conditions there. It's not new to him," he said.

Sinha's heart went out to Dhawan. "It's never a good feeling when there is an injury. It's sad to see Dhawan being replaced. He is such an asset to the Indian team. But on the other hand, Rishabh has got a great opportunity to prove himself," Sinha said.

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Team India can benefit from Pant's flexibility, felt Sinha. "Rishabh can open the innings, he has opened in the Ranji Trophy [for Delhi]. He is also suitable for the No. 4 and No. 6 positions, he has played in the middle-order and lower middle-order too.

"It is not right for me to comment on where he should play [for India]. The team management decides that. But if he does get to play, he should look to build his innings and not throw away his wicket," Sinha concluded.

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