Mohammad Kaif reveals why Pant plays well in IPL but fails to perform for Team India

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has said that the Indian national cricket team led by Virat Kohli is yet to identify and finalise a right slot for wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant. Mohammad Kaif while speaking to former cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra about Pant's poor performance in the international arena backed the 21-year-old Delhi player saying that he is an attacking batsman who needs to be given clarity about his role in the team before being sent in the middle to bat. 

Read: Suresh Raina Gives Keeping Practice To Youngster Rishabh Pant During A Net Session

Kaif, who is also the assistant coach of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals for which Pant plays, said that he along with coach Ricky Ponting and mentor Sourav Ganguly had decided to give the left-handed batsman at least 60 balls to play in every match which may be one of the reasons behind the difference between his performance in the cash-rich tournament and for the Indian side. Kaif said that Pant is a 'free-flowing' batsman and being a finisher and an attacking batsman he should be given a role in accordance with his capabilities, pointing out that he was being sent in the 15th over to bat in a one-day international match. 

"Rishabh Pant is a free-flowing player, clearing his mind so that he has no doubt is of utmost importance, the Indian team has not yet set the role for him, the Indian team has not identified the slot for him yet," Kaif told Aakash Chopra on the former India batsman's YouTube channel 'Aakash Vani'. "Delhi Capitals has identified the slot for him, we have decided that Pant has to bat the final ten overs of the innings," he added.

Read: KL Rahul As Makeshift Keeper Not Ideal, Rishabh Pant Needs To Be Groomed: Syed Kirmani

Kaif further added that Pant was emotionally a bit down after his name was not picked up for the 2019 ICC World Cup team adding that he and other mentors made him understand that he is still young and will have a lot of opportunities in the future. Pant, however, was later called in by the BCCI selectors in between the World Cup to replace Vijay Shankar, who got injured while training in the nets. 

"Pant felt a little low when his name was not announced initially in the squad for the 2019 World Cup. He is an emotional person so he felt a little low. He is a class player and has a lot of talent, players like him are found easily," Kaif said.

Read: Rashid Khan Claims Rishabh Pant Is 'very Tough To Bowl To'; 'knows Every Shot In The Book'

Criticism over poor performance

Pant, who was seen as a replacement for Indian legend MS Dhoni, made his debut for India in 2017 with T20 International against England and has played 13 Tests, 15 ODIs and 28 T20Is scoring 814, 346 and 410 runs respectively. Pant has an average of 44.35 in Tests, where he also has 2 centuries and 2 half-centuries against his name. However, his repeated poor performances in ODIs and T20Is have earned him a lot of criticism from experts and fans and also cost him his wicket-keeping role for a brief period to KL Rahul.  

Read: Sanju Samson Says He Does Not Want To Compete With 'good Friend' Rishabh Pant