Rishabh Pant’s blistering IPL form makes him an ideal candidate for India’s Champions Trophy squad

Delhi Daredevils batsman Rishabh Pant plays a shot during the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on May 4, 2017. Sajjad Hussain / AFPShow less

One of the factors that contributed to India becoming the most consistent white-ball side in the world over the past half a decade was continuity in selection.

Whether it was under MS Dhoni’s leadership, or now with Virat Kohli in charge, India tended to use bilateral matches to experiment with their combination. The focus was always on peaking for the big events. And when it came to those, it was invariably the tried and tested faces that got the nod.

Dhoni is now back in the ranks, though, and once the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) holds its Special General Meeting, the squad announcement for the Champions Trophy will follow. The deadline was April 25.

The temptation will again be to go with the conservative approach that has seen them miss out on a semi-final place in only one global event since 2010 – and on that occasion at the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in 2012, they won four of their five games, falling short only on run rate.

Two different issues could influence this selection though.

__________________________________

Read more

■ IPL's 10 most expensive players: More hits than miss

■ Party pooper: Eagle-eyed unmpire denies UAE's Chirag Suri debut

__________________________________

One is injuries, the other the undoubted temptation of throwing a special talent into the deep end to see how he copes.

Without injuries, Rohit Sharma would have opened alongside Lokesh Rahul in England. Now, Rohit, who has overcome a dreadful start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) to show glimpses of his best, has to wait and see which of a handful of options the selectors plump for with Rahul recuperating from shoulder surgery.

There is a school of thought, led primarily by the still powerful Mumbai lobby, that Ajinkya Rahane should be picked if the English conditions are going to challenge batting techniques.

Rahane, however, has been distinctly average in the IPL, and the lack of oomph in his batting has been laid bare in comparison with those also desirous of a place in the squad.

Shikhar Dhawan set India on course for their 2013 Champions Trophy success with a dazzling 84-ball century against South Africa. He repeated the dose at the 2015 World Cup, where India lost to eventual champions Australia in the semi-finals.

Dhawan is a proper “Big Time Charlie”, who seems to find an extra gear when the world is watching.

But while the temptation to go back to that successful Rohit-Dhawan pairing must be overwhelming, there are also the two Kolkata Knight Riders to consider.

Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa have been in sublime form. Uthappa has batted mainly at No 3, but he is comfortable as an opener, and 384 runs at an astonishing strike-rate of 170.66 present an irresistible case for selection. He provides backup with the gloves as well.

But this is where the scenario becomes even more complicated.

There is a young man nearly 12 years younger than Uthappa who has scored fewer runs (281 in 10 innings), but at an even better strike rate (175.62).

Rishabh Pant's 43-ball 97 against Gujarat Lions, in a top-gear chase that also featured Sanju Samson, was one of the highlights of the IPL, perhaps second only to the courageous half-century he made a few days after his father passed away.

In a charming video filmed after the game, Pant and Samson spoke to Rahul Dravid, the Delhi Daredevils mentor, about how they had approached the chase. “See the ball, hit the ball” was the gist of Pant’s batting philosophy. “If the next ball can be hit, hit that, too,” he added with a grin on his face.

He may only be 19, but after a stellar Ranji Trophy campaign and the composure he has shown on the brightly lit IPL stage, there is little doubt that Pant is ready.

And regardless of whether he jumps the queue or is held back for the Champions Trophy, you will be seeing a lot more of that exhilarating batting in the years to come.

Whisper it softly, but he could end up being every bit as entertaining as Virender Sehwag was.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport