Indian cricket team has been in fine form across formats in the last 5-6 months. The talent emerging from India’s domestic circuit has been enormous and such is the case at the moment, that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can afford to field two teams simultaneously. Several youngsters have helped the Indian team scale new heights with their superlative performances in all three formats of the game.
One batsman who has produced one of the most improved performances since the conclusion of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is Rishabh Pant. The cricket pundits are in awe of the explosive left-handed batsman who has produced several match-winning knocks for Team India, especially in whites.
Senior Indian wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik praised Pant and said he has a similar impact on the opposition as Virender Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist during their days.
“He lends flexibility to the team and the management has the opportunity to play the extra batsman or the bowler as per requirement. And what is most important is the way he instils fear in the mind of opposition. Pant has the effect that Virender Sehwag or Adam Gilchrist used to have on rivals,” Karthik told The Times of India.
Given his good record away from home, Rishabh Pant will be one of the batsmen to watch out for in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand as well as the five-match Test series against England.
Hailing Wriddhiman Saha as the ‘best wicketkeeper in the world’, Karthik added that Pant’s work behind the stumps will improve with time.
“He has Wriddhiman Saha in the team, who, according to me, is the best wicketkeeper in the world. The way Saha is, he will always be ready to help him out…And I know for a fact even Parthiv Patel helped him out when he was in Australia,” Karthik added.
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia last year, which India won 2-1, Pant was India’s highest run-getter with 274 runs in 5 innings at an impressive average of 68.50. He proved to be a tough nut to crack for the Australian bowlers with his attacking approach. He also hit the winning runs in the 4th and final Test.
He carried the form into the home Test series against Joe Root & Co. where he scored 270 runs in six innings at 54. 00. He is once again the batsman to watch out for during India’s UK tour
