"I don't know whether he would be able to fit in at this moment. So it depends. But he's obviously a player for the future." said the former skipper.
There has been much talk about Rishabh Pant replacing Dinesh Karthik as MS Dhoni’s understudy in India’s World Cup bound squad. However, weighing in on the discussion former Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly has said that while Pant is definitely “one for the future”, he isn’t convinced the youngster would fit into the Indian World Cup squad.
Karthik was dropped from the ODI squad for Australia’s tour of India following an indifferent one-day tour of New Zealand. He came under further criticism for refusing to take a single off the third ball in the final over of the deciding T20I tie against the Kiwis. With India needing 14 at that point and Krunal Pandya going great guns at the opposite end, many questioned Karthik’s decision making ability at the death.
Since then it has looked likely that Pant could replace Karthik at the World Cup. However, speaking at the Eden Gardens, Ganguly expressed certain reservations about Pant. "He has to fit in. I don't know whether he would be able to fit in at this moment. So it depends. But he's obviously a player for the future."
Pant has played just 3 ODIs for India with all of those coming against the West Indies at home last year. In those matches, the southpaw only managed scores of 17 and 24 in his two outings with the bat. However, Pant has impressed in the Test format scoring centuries in both England and Australia.
When used as a specialist batsmen in recently concluded two-match T20I series against Australia, Pant managed scores of just 3 and 1. It looks likely though that Pant will be offered one final chance to earn his spot in the squad when the five-match ODI series begins on March 2.
"Karthik is not part of the ODI squad then obviously they are not thinking him as an option. It depends on what the selectors want," said Ganguly.
"India are a very good side. It's a very strong side. They are a pretty much self-selected team. I don't see too many changes in the squad. Bowling is good in (Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Shami, Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar). Batting picks itself. Spinners (Yuzvendra) Chahal and Kuldeep (Yadav). They are pretty self-selected team."
(With inputs from PTI)
