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Rishabh Pant might have batted with a low strike rate, contrasting his trademark aggressive batting style, in the warm-up match in Colombo against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI, but could be dangerous when the India National Cricket Team faces the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team in the 2-match Test series, starting on August 15.
Ahead of the 1st match of the series, former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof issued a warning to the home team so that the Sri Lankan players can be prepared to counter Rishabh Pant.
I would be very worried about Rishabh Pant: Farveez Maharoof
Through a PTI video on August 11, Farveez Maharoof stated that he would be very cautious about Rishabh Pant if he were in the dressing room. The former cricketer mentioned that Pant is among the players who have the potential to shift the momentum of a match within half an hour because of his unorthodox batting approach. Maharoof predicted that the Indian keeper-batter will have the license to take on the Lankan bowlers.
“If I were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, I would be very worried about Rishabh Pant. He is a player who, within half an hour or 45 minutes, can completely change the game. We have seen him do it in the past. He has that X-factor and has been given the license to play his natural game,” the former cricketer stated.
Sri Lanka likely to face India with a spin-heavy line-up
In the video, he also expressed that Pant may have to face a lot of spin in the upcoming Test series. The 41-year-old also predicted that Sri Lanka is likely to face India with two full-time spinners and a pair of part-timers.
“He is going to face a lot of left-arm spin and off-spin. Sri Lanka will surely go with two frontline spinners as well as two part-timers, but the way Pant scores runs, with his unorthodox style, he is going to be dangerous,” he added.
VIDEO | Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof (@farveezmaharoof) feels that the Sri Lanka dressing room would be worried about India's flamboyant keeper-batter Rishabh Pant in the upcoming two Test series.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 11, 2026
"If I were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, I would be very… pic.twitter.com/drUDZ4MrDR
During the warm-up against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI, Pant surprised everyone with his different batting approach. Instead of taking an aggressive approach, the southpaw was more watchful and defensive against the opposing bowlers. But whenever he spotted loose balls, he did not shy away from going big.
Rishabh Pant possesses a good track record against Sri Lanka
What will be Pant’s batting approach during the Test series? Will he play with his usual attacking batting, or will he keep himself ice cold in the middle? The hosts will be in a dilemma facing the middle-order batter.
The Uttarakhand-born’s previous Test match for India was against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, when he played an 81-run knock. The batter’s Test record against Sri Lanka is actually pretty good, with a batting average of 61.66 in 2 matches and three innings.
In a couple of Tests and three innings against the island nation, he has so far scored 185 runs with a couple of half-centuries. Rishabh Pant last faced Sri Lanka in the longest format of the game in 2022.
