Ashish Nehra wants Virat Kohli to include this young player in World Cup playing squad

Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra feels Indian wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant should be included in the ICC 2019 World Cup squad. Nehra said that Pant can provide team India with the much needed x-factor that it needs in the 50-over tournament.

Nehra explained why Pant would be effective in World Cup, Nehra said, “ If you look at India's batting line up, save Shikhar (Dhawan), there aren't any left-handers in the top seven. You need variety with a left-right combination, where Rishabh perfectly fits.”

Nehra also said that, “Rishabh can bat at any position between Nos 1 to 7 and so Virat (Kohli) and the team management can use him as a floater," said Nehra, who also played the 2003 World Cup final in South Africa.”

However, Pant doesn’t have a good record with his bat in the ODIs as in the three matches he have played till now, he has only 41 runs under his name with a highest score of 24. Pant has an average of 20.50 which is pretty bad for a player of his calibre.

The 21-year-old Delhi batsman made his ODI debut against bottom ranked West Indies on October 21, 2018. Pant did not get a chance to bat as the captain and the vice-captain notched up 292 runs together to take India to the finishing lines.

Rishabh Pant is likely to play the five-match ODI series against Australia starting from February 24 in India.