“If Rishabh Pant Is Fit On Even One Leg”, Sunil Gavaskar Picks Pant Ahead Of KL Rahul In India’s T20 World Cup Squad.

KL Rahul emerges as a promising wicketkeeper-batter for India in the potential lineup for the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar suggests that the first preference should be given to Rishabh Pant if he’s fit.

In the absence of Pant, the selectors opted for Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson as the designated wicketkeeper-batters for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. Pant, still recovering from injuries sustained in a car crash in December 2022, wasn’t available for selection, while KL Rahul, despite being fit, wasn’t included in the squad.

Gavaskar, expressing his views on the Star Sports show ‘Game Plan,’ emphasized Pant as the primary choice, citing his game-changing abilities.

“I see him (Rahul) as a wicketkeeper as well but I will say one thing before that – if Rishabh Pant is fit on even one leg, he should come in the team because he is a game-changer in every format. If I am the selector, I will put his name first,However, if Rishabh Pant is unavailable and KL Rahul keeps wickets, it will be good because the balance will also get created. Then you have the option to play him as an opener or use him in the middle order as a finisher at No. 5 or No. 6.”

However, he acknowledged Rahul as a versatile option, capable of balancing the team dynamics by serving as both an opener and a middle-order batsman if Pant is unavailable

“He is an all-rounder and he has improved his wicketkeeping so much. When he used to keep earlier, he was probably a slightly reluctant wicketkeeper, a keeper you could just manage with, but now he is a proper wicketkeeper,” Gavaskar said.