Hard-Hitter Rishabh Pant Asked to 'Stand-by' for Indian Cricket Team

Delhi's latest batting sensation Rishabh Pant, the leading run scorer in the Ranji Trophy, has been asked to "stand-by" for the senior Indian team and step in if an emergency crops up.

Multiple people associated with the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), Rishabh's adopted home, confirmed that the national selectors have alerted the 19-year-old left-handed batsman-cum wicket keeper who loves to hit big sixes to be mentally prepared to bolster the Indian team.

Delhi senior selector Atul Wassan confirmed the development.

"I don't I know about others, but I know that he has been asked to stand-by. And it is only natural that the selectors have taken note of his performances as he is doing well. But I don't know that his being a standby is only for the ongoing England Test series or the One-day Internationals that follow," Wassan, a former India Test pacer, told Outlook.

"Now, Rishabh will have to be ready for the entire home season, not just the series against England. It's a long season and whenever there is a chance the selectors must be waiting for a cap [pick a player to fill that gap]," he said.

India is scheduled to play 13 Test matches, eight One-day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals, against England, Australia, Bangladesh and New Zealand, which recently finished its series in India.

"The selectors now know that Rishabh is special so they'll wait for him, and when the opportunity arises he should be given a chance. It's not that they will have to omit someone; you'll have more players in the mix who can step up and play for India," said Wassan.

At the moment, Wriddhiman Saha is the wicket-keeper in the ongoing Test series against England and Mahendra Singh Dhoni keeps wickets and captains the team in shorter formats of the game. But an opportunity could arise anytime due to various reason – injuries, illness or lack form.

Wassan even suggested that Rishabh is good enough to be picked as a pure batsman.

"The problem in India is that if you are tagged as a wicket-keeper then you are compressed in one slot. But he is a special talent in batting. How you can fast-track him, I was thinking the other day. No point wasting him here at this level [in the Ranji Trophy] and should be immediately taken up there [Indian team]. But only the national the selectors will have to apply their minds to it," he said, wondering how long the batsman can remain a stand-by for the Indian team.

In the first five Ranji Trophy matches this season Rishabh amassed 799 runs at a superlative average of 114.14 and an outstanding strike rate of 113.01. This Ranji Trophy tally included four centuries, including a brilliant triple century, and a 50-plus score.

An aggressive batsman in the Virender Sehwag mould, Rishabh on Tuesday added 75 more runs (59 balls, 9x4s, 3x6s) to his tally while batting in the first innings of Delhi's match against Rajasthan in Wayanad, Kerala.

Delhi team coach Krishna Bhaskar Pillai was sure that Rishabh was mature enough to graduate to the next level.

Asked if Rishabh was ready for international cricket, Bhaskar told Outlook: "Yes, but at the moment Saha and Dhoni are, of course, there. But if any injury etc. happens they can always go for Rishabh or Ishan Kishan [of Jharkhand]. They are two readily available stars for you. Both can play in the XI. For the India under-19 team, Ishan was captain and Rishabh was keeping wickets recently. India has a bright future."

Bhaskar, a former Delhi captain, said he won't be surprised if Rishabh goes on to score 1,000 runs or more in this Ranji Trophy season.

Rishabh, who hails from Roorkie in Uttrakhand, played his Ranji Trophy for Delhi last year, but got to play only two matches. He was also picked for the Vijay Hazare Trophy limited overs tournament and opened the batting for Delhi.

Rishabh was appointed vice-captain of the Indian under-19 team that reached the final of the World Cup, held in Bangladesh this January-February, eventually losing to the West Indies. He caught everyone's eye with his blistering batting, scoring the world's fastest half-century at that level off just 18 balls against Nepal. He was eventually out for 78, scored off only 24 balls.

Rishabh played in the 2015 IPL after Delhi Daredevils picked him for a whopping Rs 1.9 crore, beating Rising Pune Supergiants, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bangalore in a hotly contested race. His price tag proves how much he was in demand, leaving his base price of Rs 10 lakh way behind.