Legendary India National Cricket Team batsman Sunil Gavaskar has made a large scale U-turn on star wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant after strictly criticized during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
Rishabh Pant was appreciated by Sunil Gavaskar, for his measured innings on the day 1 of the Test series opener against the England National Cricket Team in Headingley in Leeds.
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Rishabh Pant shines on day 1
The Pants went out to bat on 1 day 1 day after the Centurion Yashsvi Jaiswal departed after his stellar performance with the bat against Ben Stokes -led side.
Rishabh Pant danced to the track to break Ben Stokes for one four off the second ball, which he faced in the innings, but overall, he did not show ultra-aggression.
The wicketkeeper-batsmen were also not very composed in the middle, as they played their classic unconventional shots. He scored runs throughout the ground, but his most productive shot during the day was a direct drive.
Meanwhile, the pants completed their fifty against the English team off 91 balls, with five fours and one six. He finished the day with an unbeaten 65 runs with 65 runs in his bag from 102 balls, and his innings included six fours and two sixes. In particular, two sixes of the pants helped him cross Rohit Sharma as India’s major six-hitter in the ICC World Test Championship history.
When he rescues, it takes so much time – Rishabh Pant
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Sunil Gavaskar’s ‘stupid, stupid, stupid’ meltdown broke the internet on the negligent batting of Rishah Pants, but now the batting legend has made a large-scale u-turn.
Speaking on Sony Sports, Gavaskar appreciated the pants, saying that it becomes easy for him to play the shot after spending some time in the middle.
“Because he gives himself a hurry to that time, it becomes easy for him to play those aggressive stroke later. When he rescues, he feels that it takes so much time against Pace Bowlers – it seems that he is taking Mickey out of them, saying, saying, ‘Look, I have not all the time in the world; I do not need a big shot in the world; I am just a big shot, I am just a ball, I am just a ball.”
He has got a lot of talent – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar further said that Rishabh Pant has got ‘huge talent’ and is equally capable of attacking both and playing defensive cricket. He said:
“They have found a lot of talent. I have seen them hundreds of scores in South Africa and Australia, and they are absolutely incredible. There is such a big mixture of defense and attack – starting with solid defense and then transferring to attack.”
Gavaskar also felt that Pant wisely batted against England for 1 day and followed a set template that is working for him.
“It seems how he plays. When he comes to bat, on the second or third ball, he often uses his feet and hits a border.
“This makes him feel free and then allows him to play the way he wants. Here, he is measured in his view – by taking himself time in the middle. But once he starts inside and the bowler starts tires, when he starts moving the pitch down and actually attacks, big shots, sixes, and borders,” Leader Gavasar said.