'India can use Pant as X-factor in Boxing Day Test'

Former India spinner Murali Kartik is of the opinion that Indian cricket team can use Rishabh Pant as a specialist batsman who brings an X-factor in the Boxing Day Test against Australia.

Kartik believes that Ajinkya Rahane, who will lead Indian team in Virat Kohli's absence, can bat at four and Pant can be used purely as a batsman. According to Kartik, Pant has an 'X-factor' in his batting and believes that he can produce results for the side while Wriddhiman Saha will keep his position behind the stumps.

"One more thing can happen is that Ajinkya Rahane who plays up the order in first-class cricket can himself come at No 4 because of the forced change. You can use Rishabh Pant just as a batsman with the X-factor," Murali Kartik said on Sony Sports Network.

"Everyone is seeing KL Rahul’s form but when he was left out of the Test team, it was because of his Test form. Now he came back in the team because of other things. When someone sees the recent form, they feel he is in form.”

"So, these things will have to be seen with interest. Rishabh Pant has not done anything wrong as a batsman so you can play him as a batsman and don’t take the gloves from Wriddhiman Saha. So, that can also happen. It all depends on their thinking," Kartik added.

Pant had played an unbeaten knock of 103 during the second innings in the day-night practice game against Australia A.

Kartik pointed out that the Indian team management would look for a replacement for Prithvi Shaw who looked totally out of sorts in the Adelaide.

"But it depends on Prithvi Shaw, who was looking that he is not in form but the team management did the right thing by giving him the first chance. He had done well in the last Test match he played."

"Everyone was seeing that he did not score runs in the IPL and wanted him to be kept out, but they did not do that. But in this match, he didn’t look in confidence at all. So, will you want to put him in pressure again or want to bring a fresh player who does not have that issue," Kartik further said.

The Boxing Day Test between India and Australia begins on 26th December in Melbourne.