Rishabh Pant Is The Biggest Positive For Team India In The Last Two Test Series - VVS Laxman
Published - 07 Mar 2021, 01:07 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 02:06 PM
Former India batsman, VVS Laxman lavished rich praises on Rishabh Pant terming the youngster as the ‘biggest positive’ for the side in its past couple of Test series victories against Australia and England.
Pant has been phenomenal since his return to the side in the second Test in Australia. In the 7 Tests he has played, the left-hander averages 60.44 with the bat scoring a hundred and 4 fifties at a strike rate of 76.29. Not just the amount of runs, but, importantly, in the situations in which those came in have put the youngster on a higher pedestal.
Not only as a batsman but as VVS Laxman points out, the 23-year-old has made significant gains as a wicket-keeper as well – with 8 catches and 5 brilliant stumpings in the against England, on turning tracks, Pant has quashed the concerns people had ahead of the series about his keeping to spinners.
“The Indian team has got quite a few positives from the last two series. But I feel Rishabh Pant is the biggest positive, not only as a batsman but also as a keeper, the way he has kept on improving,” VVS Laxman said while speaking on Star Sports.
“If you can play shots like that against the great Jimmy Anderson, what a future he is going to have. The Indian team was under pressure in Sydney, Brisbane, and also in this match when they were 150/6. In that situation, playing your natural game with fearless shots and playing a match-winning knock is not easy for a young player,” he added.
Pant has improved his game by putting in the hard work: VVS Laxman
The 46-year-old cricketer-turned-commentator lauds Rishabh Pant for putting in the hard work in the past few months as he has been under heavy scrutiny before that. Pant had lost his place in all formats from the national team, but now has made himself as an almost certainty in the limited-overs format as well – he has been recalled to the T20I side which takes on Eoin Morgan’s team.
“Everyone also needs to remember that the last two years have been very difficult for him but he showed the positivity and improved his game by putting in the hard work and because of that, the results are being seen. I am sure there has been a significant contribution from his coaches, family members, and supporters which has helped in this turnaround,” VVS Laxman further added.