Former Indian wicket-keeper batter Farokh Engineer applauded Rishabh Pant’s match-winning ability with the bat and felt that Pant could play even as a specialist batter upon his return from injury. However, Pant suffered a ligament tear, alongside several other injuries, after having a horrific car accident in December 2022. The latest reports suggested that the 26-year-old could return during the 2024 IPL season as well.

In an interaction after his felicitation at the Bombay Gymkhana, Engineer said: “I was so sad to hear about Rishabh’s accident. I hope that he’s recovered now. I’m not sure (that) he’ll be able to ‘keep wickets, because once you lose your sharpness, the sixth sense… but his batting is so good, he can be a match-winner for India with the bat. He has so much confidence as a batsman. Like me, he thinks that spinners shouldn’t exist.”

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However, before the unfortunate injury, Rishabh Pant was arguably Team India’s most valuable Test batter, with an average of 43.67 and a strike rate of over 73 in 33 matches as well. He also boasts impressive ODI numbers, with an average of over 34 and a strike rate of 106.65 in 30 matches as well. And, Farokh Engineer said that India would win the ongoing Test series against England by a close 3-2 margin as well.

“I reckon India will win 3-2. But don’t underestimate England. They are a good side. Had they won the toss and decided to bat, who knows? We might have been in a predicament. They might have been leading by 150. When we get a chance, we got to grab it with both hands. Like in Hyderabad, we should have got 600. All our batsmen got too complacent, thinking that we will be able to dismiss them because the ball was turning. Let’s not be complacent. After winning this Test, put the screws down,” concluded Farokh Engineer.