Loved batting at No 4 in World Cup: Rishabh Pant says his focus is to play according to situation

Rishabh Pant has said that he loved batting at No 4 for India at the recently concluded World Cup and is focussed only on playing according to the situation of the match, as he gets ready for a full tour of West Indies as the designated wicket-keeper batsman.

The young wicketkeeper-batsman came into the Indian World Cup squad as a replacement after injury ruled out opener Shikhar Dhawan from the tournament and slotted straight away at the problematic No 4 area. The Delhi dasher said he was ready for the challenge all along, despite mixed results.

“I loved batting at No. 4. It was nothing new for me as I have played at No. 4 before, like in the IPL. I had been practicing for the same role,” Pant told the Hindustan Times in an interview.

There were some eyebrows raised as he played a rash shot in the semi-final defeat against New Zealand just when a partnership was building. Asked about his risk-filled approach to middle-order rating, Pant said he always focussed on playing the situation.

“There is no specific way or style I play in,” he said. “I always play according to the situation. I don’t know what people say, because I don’t read newspapers much. The only thing I am focusing on is that I have to play according to the situation, see what the team needs from me and how I can make the team win.”

For the tour of West Indies, former India captain MS Dhoni has not been named for the tour and Pant has been named the wicketkeeper across formats. It’s been evident for a while that Pant is the heir apparent to Dhoni, who has already retired from Tests and made himself unavailable for the Caribbean for training with the Territorial Army.

Chief selector MSK Prasad confirmed that the management is thinking of giving Pant more chances.

“I know those are big shoes to fill, but if I start thinking about it there will be a problem,” Pant said on him being seen as the long-term replacement for Dhoni. “Right now, I am not thinking about what people say. I am just focusing on what I have to do. I just want to do well for my country. That’s the only thing I am focusing on. I take the challenge positively. Now I have to see what I can learn, and what I can do to improve.”

You can read the entire interview here.