India's Test batsman Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday said that out of form wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has to be positive to try and learn as many things as possible from any of the players.
"It's important to accept whatever you are going through. Be positive, try and learn as many things as possible from any of the players. Not saying it has to be senior or junior," Rahane told reporters ahead of the first Test against New Zealand.
Pant is in India's Test squad as a second choice wicket-keeper after Wriddhiman Saha. The 22-year-old youngster has been warming the bench after getting concussed in the first ODI against Australia.
Pant was replaced by inform KL Rahul. Rahul has been in exceptional with the bat as he has scored four fifty-plus scores and a ton in his last ten limited-overs games.
Pant was also included in Men in Blue's ODI and T20I series squad against New Zealand but failed to appear in playing eleven.
"You should try and focus on what he can control as a player and keep visualizing that you will get an opportunity. You know what your role is. For Rishabh, he bats at No 6 or 7, so keep visualising about what if he gets an opportunity and what his role is. Keep it simple," Rahane said.
"See no one likes to sit outside but whatever your team needs on a particular game, you have got to accept that. I think acceptance is really important talking about that particular individual. Focus on controllable, keep working hard and improve as a cricket player," he added.
Test squad: Virat Kohli (c), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ishant Sharma.
The first Test of the two-match series will be played at Basin Reserve in Wellington on Friday, February 21.
( With inputs from ANI )
