India want ‘phenomenal’ Pant to match daredevil batting with discipline

England must call time on Anderson/Broad partnership – Vaughan

NEW DELHI, Sept 17, (RTRS): India’s newly appointed batting coach Vikram Rathour has joined head coach Ravi Shastri in demanding more discipline from exciting stumper-batsman Rishabh Pant.

Pant’s six-hitting ability makes him a limited-overs asset, but Shastri in a recent interview said the 21-year-old’s penchant for throwing away his wicket has occasionally let the team down.

The Delhi player is perceived as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s natural successor in limited-overs cricket when the former captain eventually hangs up his gloves, but Rathour insisted Pant must improve his shot selection. same time, you cannot be careless,” the former India opener said.

“I’m sure they are smart enough to understand that.”

India will also play three Tests against South Africa next month, when limited-overs stalwart Rohit Sharma may reinvent himself as a Test opener.

Rohit smashed a record five centuries at this year’s 50-overs World Cup, but the white-ball stalwart has managed only 27 sporadic Test appearances.

Rathour said 32-year-old Rohit has the game to succeed across formats, which would be a massive boost for the side.

“He has done so well as an opener in white ball cricket, so I don’t see any reason why he can’t do well in red ball cricket as well, provided we provide him enough opportunities,” Rathour said.

“If he comes good, it will be a huge asset for the team. Somebody of his experience, the kind of cricket he plays – if he plays at the top of the order, it will be a huge thing.”

Pant

LONDON:

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The days of James Anderson and Stuart Broad spearheading England’s fast bowling attack are over, according to former captain Michael Vaughan.

The pair have taken more than 1,000 Test wickets between them with Anderson’s 575 a world record for a pace bowler.

The 37-year-old Anderson, however, managed only four overs in this year’s drawn Ashes series after aggravating a calf injury.

Broad, 33, excelled despite the absence of his usual partner and took 23 wickets at an average of under 27.

After more than a decade in which they have been used in tandem, Vaughan suggests playing one or the other is the way forward for England.

“I don’t think it is right both of them play now,” Vaughan told BBC Radio 5. “It might be that Broad plays one series and Anderson plays one series.

“They are not going to like it, but they are at that stage of their careers where England are going to have to manage the combination very smartly.”

Vaughan also believes that England’s sole focus now must be in trying to regain the Ashes in Australia in two years’ time after drawing the recent series 2-2.

“I want to see a disciplined way of playing and the World Cup is in the bag now,” Vaughan said.

“The most important thing going forward is the Ashes in two years. It is the Test team that needs a real focus over two and a half years of real dedication and structure.”