‘I didn’t understand why he was batting above Suryakumar’ - Salman Butt surprised with Rishabh Pant batting ahead of India's 360 degree batter

Team India endured a massive blow as they lost the recent three-match ODI series, 1-0 to hosts New Zealand after the third and final match yielded no result. India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who was one of the players who could not make the most out of the series against the Kiwis, was at the receiving end of a lot of criticism for his performances.

Former Pakistan cricketer, Salman Butt was left baffled as he did not quite ‘understand’ why Pant played up the order instead of the swashbuckling right-hander, Suryakumar Yadav.

"He's (Pant) a flashy player, plays with a lot of freedom but he hasn't been able to deliver the kind of performance that was expected of him in the current (New Zealand) series. He should have scored more runs. But I didn't understand why he was batting above Suryakumar Yadav.

"You are playing an out-of-form batter in place of someone who is in the form of his life and is playing his best cricket. The in-form player should play more overs. He's the no. one batter and you are sending him below an out-of-form player," said Salman Butt on his YouTube channel after the final ODI match in Christchurch.

This can impact an in-form player: Salman Butt

Butt further opined that the dismal outings by Pant could affect the performances of an in-form player such as Suryakumar Yadav.

"I don't know what's going on. This can impact an in-form player. I don't know whether this was the case here or not but a batter who is in the form of his life would want to play more deliveries," added the former cricketer.

Pant could only score ten off 16 balls during his time at the crease against the Black Caps in the third and final ODI match before getting dismissed by Daryl Mitchell. As India leave the shores of New Zealand, the side will jet off for the forthcoming Bangladesh ODI and Test series scheduled to start on December 4.