Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that Rishabh Pant is the country’s best-ever Test wicketkeeper-batter. While saying that MS Dhoni has scored more Test runs than Pant, he said that Pant has smashed two centuries more than Dhoni despite playing 43 matches fewer. Pant has amassed 3427 runs, including eight centuries, at an average of 44.50 in 47 Tests as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “MS Dhoni is at the top in terms of the number of matches played and runs scored. He has played 90 games, 144 innings, scored 4876 runs at an average of 38.09, and has six centuries to his name. Rishabh Pant has struck six centuries in the last five years.”

“If we look at it overall, Rishabh Pant has already scored eight centuries and MS Dhoni had six centuries. Rishabh Pant is already in the second spot (in terms of number of runs). He is 1400 runs behind MS Dhoni and has played nearly half the games. If he plays more, he will obviously go ahead of MS Dhoni,” he further added.

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However, Aakash Chopra also stated that Rishabh Pant is the only visiting wicketkeeper-batter to score more than 1000 Test runs in England as well.

“If we see the most runs by a wicketkeeper in England, he is the only guy who has scored 1000 runs in England. He has struck four centuries and five half-centuries. He has scored more than 1000 runs in 13 matches and 24 innings. They might start building his statues in England,” he said.

“If we see the list of all Test wicketkeepers in the world to date, Adam Gilchrist has scored 5570 runs at an average of 47.60 in 96 matches. He is the one who is fairly ahead of him. However, Gilchrist might also be caught because Pant is nearly 2250 runs behind. Without a shadow of doubt, India’s No. 1 wicketkeeper-batter ever and in world cricket, he will finish as one of the finest and probably the best,” Aakash Chopra concluded.