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The Team India management will never recommend young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant to curb his wild attacking game since he knows his role and the anticipations from him, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey expressed on Tuesday. Pant, regarded as one of the most damaging players among the current crop, has five Test centuries and ten 50s in 31 contests, with tons in England, Australia and South Africa. Ahead of the opening Test versus Bangladesh, Pant was seen batting aggressively at the nets on Tuesday. That initiated a query for Mhambrey about having talks about the left-hander's course.
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"We do not have any special discussion with Rishabh. That's his game, and we know that. Nothing changes, that's how he prepares for any format, white ball, and he is pretty much aware of his role in the team. Our conversations are never around how he is playing as he knows what the team expects from him," sounded Mhambrey, who has noticed Pant from his India U-19 days.
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While Mhambrey didn't announce if India would go with a third spinner or a third pacer, he was glad that pacer Umesh Yadav, with all his understanding, would lead the Indian pace attack. "Umesh is a very experienced bowler. We all know what Umesh brings to the table. Unfortunately, he hasn't got many opportunities as we had Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj playing in England," Mhambrey communicated.
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The former Indian seamer confessed that senior pacers Bumrah and Shami would be missed. "Bumrah and Shami will be missed, but we look at it as others getting an opportunity to play Test cricket and perform for the country," spoke Mhambrey. He also realised that after four months of continued white ball cricket, adjustment to the red ball format would be essential.
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"We are playing Test cricket after a long time. It takes a little while to have that mental change. You have just come from T20 World Cup in Australia, and now it is a different format. One good thing is a lot of these guys are playing matches. Siraj [ODIs] and Umesh [India A] played a lot of cricket. Even Navdeep Saini has played a lot as far as A series is concerned," Mhambrey concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)