Suresh Raina identifies roles for Abhishek Sharma and Rishabh Pant in India

Former India batter Suresh Raina has advocated for the inclusion of Abhishek Sharma in the national Test setup, citing his potential to adapt to the longest format. Speaking on a YouTube channel hosted by Aakash Chopra, Raina noted that while Sharma has excelled in white-ball cricket, stakeholders including team management and IPL franchises should facilitate his red-ball development. Raina simultaneously identified Rishabh Pant as an essential X-factor for limited-overs cricket. Despite Pant currently serving as an established presence in India's red-ball squad, he has not featured in an ODI or T20I for India since the summer of 2024. Raina emphasized that Pant's aggressive playing style remains a significant asset that could translate well back into white-ball formats as he continues to mature as a professional cricketer.

• 7:10 PMYahoo Sports — Suresh Raina’s bold blueprint for India: Backs Abhishek Sharma for Test leap, calls Rishabh Pant white-ball 'X-factor'