Rishabh Pant should be nurtured to lead Indian cricket team, believes Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh has called on the Indian team selectors and management to nurture Rishabh Pant for leadership responsibilities. The former India cricketer has suggested Pant be appointed as the vice-captain in order to be “groomed and given time” to lead at some stage in the future. “You must get someone ready. Like Mahi [MS Dhoni] became captain out of nowhere but they made him, right! Then he evolved,” said Yuvraj during an exclusive interaction on Home of Heroes, Sports18’s newest offering. “Keeper is always a good thinker because he always has the best view on the ground.” [caption id=“attachment_10367481” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  File image of Rishabh Pant. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)[/caption] “You pick a young guy who can be a future captain, give him time and don’t expect miracles in the first six months or a year. I feel you must believe in the younger guys to get the job done,” he added. Yuvraj stressed his go-to example for Pant taking over the mantle is in the form of former Australia left-hander Adam Gilchrist. The legendary wicketkeeper, who batted lower down the order, maintained his swashbuckling scoring attitude, similar to Pant, without being criticised for it. You already have four Test hundreds already and you can do that. In terms of best wicket-keeper batsman, I see Rishabh could be the future legend,” said Yuvraj.

Unlike Gilchrist, Pant, 24 years old, has been criticised for rash shot-making decisions and losing his wicket at pivotal junctures in matches. Yuvraj, though, believes he is maturing with time and drew parallels with himself and Virat Kohli. “I was immature at that age, Virat was immature when he was captain at that age. But he (Pant) is maturing with time,” said Yuvraj. “I don’t know how the support staff think about it, but I think he is the right guy to lead the Test team.” Home of Heroes will be a no-holds-barred conversation with leading figures in Indian sport. During these interviews, some of India’s leading sportsmen and women will reflect on their life and times as elite athletes and offer their perspectives on the key issues dominating their sport. Free-flowing, candid and intimate, it will invite the viewer to experience their sporting heroes in a new light. Watch the first part of Yuvraj Singh’s interview on Sports18 at 7:00 PM on April 29, 2022, only on Sports18. Read all the  Latest News ****,  Trending News ****,  Cricket News ****,  Bollywood News ****,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook****,  Twitter and  Instagram****.