'Perhaps Kohli, Shastri think he is Dhoni's replacement': Sehwag feels management needs to back Rishabh Pant more

India vs England: Sehwag believes that perhaps the team management, comprising captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri, is looking for a like-for-like replacement for MS Dhoni in Pant, which the former India opening batsman reckons, is not the right way forward.

Apparently, one questionable shot is all it takes for fingers to start pointing again. On Friday, shortly after Rishabh Pant baffled the on looker with a reverse scoop off Jofra Archer that flew for six, the youngster was questioned for playing a rash shot that led to his dismissal. Pant played well for his 23-ball 21 after India were reduced to 20/3. Pant hit a half-volley onto his pads in the deep but was unable to clear the boundary and holed out to Jonny Bairstow in the deep.

Rishabh Pant was dismissed for 21. (REUTERS)

Despite the recent string of impressive performances, former India batsman Virender Sehwag is worried that Pant could be subjected to an ouster from the team if he doesn't score in the coming two three matches. Sehwag compared the current generation of cricketers to the time he played, explaining how the room for inconsistency today is far narrower, and that Pant is bound to play such shots time and again, which is where the management needs to back him and give him a longer run.

"If you’re playing him and expecting him to consistently score runs like other players, and his strike rate goes down in the process, that expectation is wrong. When I used to play, I had the license that if you play one terrific, match-winning knock in seven-eight innings, the management was to remain happy," Sehwag told Cricbuzz.

"But I think the current management wants a performance after every 2-3 games, it seems only then do they back a player. So that is a point that if such a player comes and you give him a free hand, but what is this freehand that you drop him from the XI after four matches and he is left out of the team by the time the tour ends."

Sehwag believes that perhaps the team management, comprising captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri, is looking for a like-for-like replacement for MS Dhoni in Pant, which the former India opening batsman reckons, is not the right way forward. Sehwag's assessment is based on Kohli's and Shastri's statements regarding Pant, which he claims keeps changing.

"We have been hearing this. Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri have given statements that they are backing Rishabh Pant, but when he drops, the same statement changes. At least, Ganguly’s statement did not change when I used to play. Had there been another player like me in the domestic circuit, I could have been replaced," Sehwag told Cricbuzz.

"Perhaps Kohli and Shastri are thinking Pant is Dhoni's replacement so the way Dhoni plays, Pant should play similarly. That is not true. Pant cannot play like Dhoni. That may come with experience but if he tries to play like Dhoni, neither will he be able to play like Dhoni nor like himself."