Veteran Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has expressed that he won’t be surprised if the selectors go for the Delhi wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant as the reserve opener in India’s squad for the showpiece event provided KL Rahul fails to impress in the contest. The India-Australia fixture will start on February 24 in Vishakhapatnam with the T20I series followed by the ODI contest starting March 2.
Pant has been recalled to the ODI squad after he missed out on Australia (away) and New Zealand series following his home debut against West Indies. Pant was phenomenal in the Test series against Australia where he amassed 358 at an average over 55 and it included his unbeaten 159 in Sydney in the final tie.
“This [India vs Australia series] is the opportunity for Rishabh Pant to cement his place in the World Cup squad and for KL Rahul, obviously this is the chance. If Rahul fails to get runs, then we should not be too surprised to see Pant as an opener and Dinesh Karthik could get a spot in the team in that case,” Harbhajan told Aaj Tak.
Harbhajan also feels it is unlikely that the selectors would further include or surprise with a new face for the World Cup.
“I don’t think there will be changes in the Indian team for the World Cup even if someone plays amazingly well in the IPL, be it Suresh Raina or any youngster. I don’t think the 15-man squad will change, unless there are injuries or so. BCCI is also looking at the squad in the manner of who to rest and how during the IPL, so the squad is more or less locked,” he said.
