"Rishabh Pant can be a Match-Winner for India with the bat" - Former Indian Cricketer
Published - 04 Feb 2024, 02:04 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:26 AM
Former Indian wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer expressed admiration for Rishabh Pant’s batting prowess and match-winning ability. Farokh Engineer mentioned that Rishabh Pant could play as a specialist batter for the national cricket team after recovering from injury.
Rishabh Pant sustained significant injuries, including a ligament tear, in a serious car accident on December 30, 2022, leading to his absence from competitive cricket. The 26-year-old cricketer is expected to make his comeback in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
The young batter established himself as India’s most valuable batter in Test cricket before the unfortunate injury. The left-handed player scored 2271 runs in 33 Test matches at an impressive average of 43.67 and a strike rate over 73, including five centuries and 11 fifties.
The southpaw represented India in 30 matches in the ODI format, scoring 865 runs at an average of over 34 and a strike rate of 106.65. He scored 987 runs in 66 T20Is at a disappointing average of 22.43. He smashed only one hundred in the white-ball formats for India.
Not Sure Rishabh Pant Will Be Able To Keep Wickets – Farokh Engineer
During an interaction following his felicitation at the Bombay Gymkhana, Farokh Engineer expressed hope for Rishabh Pant‘s recovery but voiced uncertainty about Pant’s ability to continue ‘keeping wickets’ due to a potential loss of sharpness.
“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,” Engineer said.
India Will Win 3-2 – Farokh Engineer
Farokh Engineer predicted that India would secure victory in the ongoing Test series against England with a narrow 3-2 margin. The former cricketer urged the team to avoid complacency and advised them to ‘put the screws down.’
“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,” said Engineer.
“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,” he concluded.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jasprit Bumrah propelled India into a commanding position in the ongoing second Test match. Jaiswal delivered an impressive double century, while Bumrah secured six wickets. India reached a score of 130/4 before the lunch break on Day 3.
