WI vs IND 2019: India's ideal middle-order for the first T20I

#3 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant

The young talent in town, Rishabh Pant is yet to showcase his IPL heroics on the international stage. Playing for Delhi Capitals (earlier Delhi Daredevils), the wicketkeeper-batsman amassed 1538 runs with an average of more than 37 in his IPL career. The southpaw has scored 10 fifties and one century, and struck at more than 160 in every edition of the Indian Premier League since 2017.

However, his performances in T20Is have been mediocre. The Uttarakhand-born youngster averages less than 20 and has a strike-rate of about 120 in 14 innings.

There is no doubt about his skills and capability. He is expected to perform at the highest level sooner or later. T20 is the most suitable format for the 21-year-old Pant and he should be looked as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman for next year's World T20.

With no MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya in the squad, the Indian team will bank on Rishabh Pant for the finishing duties.