Rishabh Pant compared to Adam Gilchrist, Virender Sehwag for fearless batting by Mohammad Azharuddin

Former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin showered praise on wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant during the ongoing two-match Test series against Bangladesh. Mohammad Azharuddin described Rishabh Pant as a "dangerous batter" for Team India because he has no fear of getting out while batting.

Rishabh Pant was sidelined from cricket for more than a year after suffering a car accident in December 2022. He made his comeback during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He had an impressive performance during the season for the Delhi Capitals and earned a selection for the T20 World Cup 2024.

The left-handed batter played a crucial role in India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2024. He made his comeback in red-ball cricket during the Duleep Trophy 2024. The southpaw smashed a century in his comeback game during the second innings of the first Test match against Bangladesh in Chennai.

Rishabh Pant Is Like Adam Gilchrist, Virender Sehwag - Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin praised Rishabh Pant for his fearless approach to batting. He emphasized that Pant plays aggressive cricket regardless of the match situation, akin to Adam Gilchrist and Virender Sehwag. Azharuddin added that this fearless attitude sets Pant apart from others.

"There is absolutely no reason for Pant to nurse the fear of getting out and that is why he is so special and dangerous," Azharuddin told MyKhel during an informal discussion inside the SG's head office in Meerut.

"Pant is like Adam Gilchrist. Pant is like Virender Sehwag," Azharuddin added.

Pant can shift the momentum of a match with his aggressive batting style, like Gilchrist and Sehwag. He can attack bowlers from the very first ball without being concerned about the game's situation. However, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter is yet to make a significant impact in T20I cricket.

Kapil Paaji Didn't Have The Fear To Get Out - Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin is impressed with Pant's exciting playing style, stating, "Pant is an absolute treat to watch." When asked about cricketers from his generation who could match Pant's fearless batting approach, Azharuddin named the legendary player Kapil Dev.

"Kapil paaji didn't have the fear to get out. He was a brilliant batter as well and could hit the cricket ball to great distance," he said. Azharuddin added that Krish Srikanth was never intimidated by the fear of dismissal.

The 26-year-old scored 109 off 128 balls, including 13 fours and four sixes, during the Chennai Test. He climbed to sixth place in the ICC men's Test batting rankings with 731 rating points. Pant previously reached a career-high fifth position in 2022 after a match against England, achieving a rating of 801.

Pant has played 34 Test matches for India, scoring 2,419 runs at an average of 44.79. He has recorded six centuries and 11 half-centuries, with notable hundreds in England, Australia, and South Africa. The southpaw will be crucial for India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023-24 in Australia.

Also read: Updated ICC World Test Championship Points Table After SL vs NZ 2nd Test 2024