IND vs AFG Test: Formative coach optimistic about Rishabh Pant's comeback despite poor form

Rishabh Pant (Pic: File Pic)

Team India is set to take on Afghanistan in the one-off Test match, which will begin from June 6 at the Maharaja Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.

Ahead of the Test match, the cricket fans will keep a tab on wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who is currently struggling with his form. Speaking about his form, his formative coach Devender Sharma feels that the left-handed batsman is "forcing himself too much". The coach also suggested Pant play vertical shots to find himself among the runs.

"He is trying too much and mostly playing horizontal shots. He is pushing and forcing himself too much. He should play more vertical shots that will give him more success. When I last talked to him, I had suggested him to play more vertical shots to get back into form. When you are not getting runs, you need to get back to basics," said Sharma.

Despite the Uttarakhand-born cricketer's poor form, the coach is optimistic about him delivering a match-winning knock against the Afghans.

"I will tell him to play a little differently with a different approach as there is a lot of difference in Test and T20 cricket. Last time when he played Test for India, he played a match winning innings. I am sure he will do it again against Afghanistan," he said.

Shubman Gill will be leading the national team in the Test match. KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been appointed as vice-captains for the Test and ODI series, respectively. Later, both teams will engage in the three-match ODI series.

The first match of the three-match ODI series will be played on June 14 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala. The second match will be held on June 17 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground in Lucknow, and the third match on June 20 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

IND vs AFG one-off Test match: Full squads

India: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (VC), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Dhruv Jurel (WK).

Afghanistan: Afsar Zazai (WK), Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Ikram Alikhil (WK), Azmatullah Omarzai, Nangeyalia Kharote, Qais Ahmad, Bahir Shah, Abdul Malik, Ziaur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Rahmanullah, Sediqullah Atal, Bilal Sami, Ismat Alam, Mohammed Saleem, Bashir Ahmad.

(With PTI Inputs)