Former Indian pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad said that the fearlessness of his approach and overall effectiveness compensate for India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s lack of sound technique as well. However, Pant produced another magnificent Test knock on Day 2 of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka at Colombo as well. Pant scored 63 off 89 deliveries, a second consecutive fifty in the series.
Talking about Rishabh Pant’s unique batting style, Prasad said on the Sony Sports Network, “He is fearless and backs himself to play the way he does. There is no technique in it. Generally, most other batters tend to miss the shots he pulls off because he is completely out of line. The way he got out at Galle and here, trying to play over cover, he was too far away from the ball. So, technically, he is not sound. But who cares about technique now? He is effective and gets those runs.”
“He adds so much value when he bats in Tests despite claims that he is irresponsible. I hope the team management is giving him the right messages to continue to be like this. At times, even in difficult conditions, he is the only one who can stand up and play match-winning knocks. He is a remarkable personality. He has the rare ability to read what the bowler thinks and react accordingly. These are intrinsic qualities of Pant, which make him a rare commodity. No other batter in international cricket can even get close to Rishabh Pant,” he again shared.
READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli
However, former Indian player Sanjay Manjrekar believes Rishabh Pant’s ability to move quickly, and his light footwork and flexibility help him to pull off extraordinary shots in Test cricket as well.
“When he ran down the track and saw that he was beaten, he could still drag himself in even before the ball had arrived. He is a very interestingly built cricketer, where he seems a little heavy-set but extremely supple and flexible, and almost elastic. That’s why he could do that. And when he took blows on his body, it was not an indication of weakness. He’s not flinching or wary of the short-ball. It’s that he sees the ball early, and that’s what makes him a genius,” said Manjrekar.
“He can play any way he wants, be it attacking or defending or leaving the ball. But he is in his own head, and the territory he bats in is an area where he has a lot of fun. It is playschool for him, so his objective is to get runs, but he does it in a way that’s fun, and he’s enjoying himself. His sole focus is to connect the ball properly, so when he wants to hit the ball, he wants to muscle it. But how he does it and what happens after that, he doesn’t care about,” he concluded.
