Rishabh Pant to make ODI debut as India-West Indies series kicks off in Guwahati?
India announced their 12-man squad for the first ODI against West Indies in Guwahati.
Guwahati: Rishabh Pant is set for an ODI debut as India, on Saturday, announced their 12-man Final squad for the first game of the five-match series against West Indies at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.
Announcement: #TeamIndia announce the 12 for the 1st ODI in Guwahati against West Indies #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/j32SXgSFTT
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 20, 2018
Although MS Dhoni will be India’s first-choice wicketkeeper, Pant will play as a batsman as India look to solve their middle-order puzzle ahead of the World Cup 2019.
Pant too posted a tweet, indicating, he is set to play his maiden ODI.
Always ready to give my 100 per cent on a cricket field. Cannot wait to take on the West Indies in the first ODI on Sunday! #IndiaVsWestIndies #comingup pic.twitter.com/cTyXnLEGuj
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabPant777) October 19, 2018
The Delhi-based cricketer had scored a ton in the fifth and final Test against England in August before scoring 92 twice in the recently-concluded Test series against West Indies.
While in Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli India have a settled top three, the middle-order has been an issue with India trying out a number of options including Dinesh Karthik, in whose place Pant is picked for the first two ODIs against West Indies, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane amongst others in the recent times, with the likes of Dhoni and Hardik Pandya batting in the top four at a few times.
While Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja offer India with three spin-bowling options, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav offer pace-bowling options to Kohli.