More useful down the order, will see about opening: Rathour on Pant's batting position

Vikram Rathour on Monday said that Rishabh Pant can be utilised in a "better way lower down the order" and the team has not yet decided on an elevation for the keeper-batter after trying him as an opener in an ODI against the West Indies recently. Rathour was roped in after the exit of Sanjay Bangar in late 2019, and he got an extension till the ODI World Cup in India next year despite the departure of old coaching staff under Ravi Shastri.

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Virat Kohli, whose tenure as India captain across formats came to an end last month, had a disappointing run in the recently-concluded three match ODI series with a total score of 26 runs at an average of 8.6 with a best of 18. Rathour said it does not mean lack of form as Kohli has been doing well

Asked whether the team management sees Pant as an opener in the white ball format in future, Rathour said the dashing big-hitter could be better utilised in the lower middle-order. "It's too far ahead. I don't know whether I will be part of the team after 2023... As for Rishabh, he is a fantastic player, he can always bat up the order," Rathour said in a media interaction ahead of the T20 International series against the West Indies beginning Wednesday. "It will depend on the team's scenario at that point of time and what the team wants from him. I've no doubt that he will be an important member of the side beyond 2023.

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India skipper Rohit Sharma has said the team management isn't worried about Virat Kohli's form as the former captain has scored runs in recent series.

"But we can utilise him in