World Cup: Nice guy, finish first! selectors' veiled advice to Rishabh Pant
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on April 15 announced the 15-member national squad for the ICC World Cup 2019 to be held from May 30 in England and Wales. There were 4-5 slots up for grab as it was evident that remaining seats would go to known names. Till recently, Rishabh Pant had all in his favour and he was seen as a potential batsman to end India's no. 4 conundrum. But the selectors had some other plans, they wanted a player who could provide more dimensions (bat, bowl and field) or could finish the matches. Chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad said, "We all (agreed) that either Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik will come in if Mahi (MS Dhoni) is injured. If it's a crucial match, wicket-keeping is also important. That's the reason we went with Dinesh Karthik. Otherwise, Pant was almost there." Pant is a new weapon in India's batting arsenal and in a short span he has earned the trust and praise of veteran to active players. Read...