Former India batter Wasim Jaffer has said that Rishabh Pant would feature in his all-time India Test XI ahead of legendary India batter MS Dhoni. His comments came after the first Test of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle, where India secured a 165-run victory. Pant scored 39 off 62 balls and 66 off 69 across the two innings as well.
Speaking during a discussion on his YouTube channel (Wasim Jaffer Official), he said: “If I had to pick India’s best-ever team, Rishabh Pant has to be there because of the kind of batting he has done and the innings he has played. I think he is one of the best, and he selects himself. I feel he is an automatic selection in the Test team. Absolutely, I would pick Rishabh Pant because of his batting ability. His keeping is also getting better, but the batting ability and match-winning ability he possesses, and the kind of innings he has played in such a short career, I think Rishabh Pant has an edge over MS Dhoni.”
READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli
However, Wasim Jaffer added that Rishabh Pant has understood how to play Test cricket. He also shared that the field is generally kept up when a new batter comes to the crease, and that works in Rishabh Pant’s favour as well,” he added.
“I think one thing is that he plays in such a way that he has understood the rhythm of Test cricket and how to play it. Generally, when any batter comes in during a Test match, you initially keep the field up. And I think that is something that helps Rishabh Pant because in Test cricket, you don’t directly put the field back for any batter. Eventually, you try to keep a few fielders up so that the batter tries to hit over the top and gets out.
“I think that helps Rishabh Pant. Once he plays one or two shots, he gets going. So, I feel that helps him in Test cricket. Plus, he obviously has the technique. It is not as if there is any major flaw in his technique because he has scored runs everywhere. It is surprising that he struggles a little in other formats, but in Test cricket, he is probably one of India’s best players, especially as a wicketkeeper-batter,” Wasim Jaffer concluded.
