Rishabh Pant guarantees entertainment whenever he steps onto the field. With the bat, he can play the orthodox and unorthodox shots with equal ease. He can unfurl the textbook cover drive to the satisfy the romantics or dazzle the new-age fans with a daring reverse scoop in Test cricket and that too against James Anderson. Pant the glovesman is equally impactful. Stunning catches, lightning stumpings, impressive takes. He’s got them all.
Pant’s aggressive mindset makes him an invaluable asset and he’s often bailed India out from tricky situations especially in overseas Tests. And that’s why he will be key to India’s hopes of completing a hat-trick of Test series wins on Australian soil later this year.
Mitchell Marsh acknowledges Pant’s class and wishes he was an Australian.
“He’s a ripping bloke,” Marsh told Star Sports. “I wish he was Australian. He’s obviously been through a lot over the last few years, and it’s been a hell of a comeback. He’s a positive guy, still really young, and he loves winning. He’s highly competitive for someone who has the persona of being relaxed and always laughing and smiling. He’s got that big smile.”
Travis Head, himself known for his all-out attack approach with the bat no matter the format, feels in the Indian team, Pant is the most ‘Australian’
“The Indian cricketer I believe is most Australian would be Rishabh Pant. I think the way he goes about his aggressive nature and his work ethic would make him very enjoyable to play with,” he said.
Pant recently stamped his authority with a memorable century on return to Test cricket. The wicketkeeper-batter played his first Test in 20 months, against Bangladesh in Chennai, and celebrated that with a sparkling hundred.
Pant made his return to competitive cricket through IPL this year after recovering from the injuries of a horrific car accident in 2022. The 26-year-old was also part of India’s T20 World Cup winning squad.
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