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No doubt Rishabh Pant is one of the most notable players on the Indian bench for the ongoing Champions Trophy. Even after being a regular in India's Test lineup, Pant has been sidelined in the 50-over format, mainly due to KL Rahul's remarkable performance in the lower middle order and his consistent wicketkeeping. India’s captain Rohit Sharma has now shed some light on Rishabh Pant's role in the squad for the tournament.
"So, we somehow kind of knew that the surfaces are going to be slow. We were watching ILT20, which was played here. And we thought the slower bowlers will be a lot more helpful. And then we've got a batter sitting in the dugout anyway. And if we need a batter to come in, Rishabh is there for us. So, we thought with an extra option of the spin, there's always a chance that we can play those guys. So that was pretty much the thinking behind that," stated Rohit.
Rohit also included that India does not have any advantage over other teams in the tournament, despite playing all their matches in Dubai. The other teams had to travel between Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi in Pakistan, & only came to Dubai when facing India in the group stage.
Australia and South Africa only traveled to Dubai when they came to know they would play India following the final group match between India and New Zealand. South Africa is now moving back to Lahore to face New Zealand in the 2nd semi-final.
"In the semi-final, we don't know which pitch is going to be played. Yes, we don't know which pitch is going to be played in the semi-final. But whatever happens, we have to adapt and see what is happening. We will play on that. This is not our home, this is Dubai. So, we don't play so many matches here. This is new for us too," he said further!