Hopefully 'Exciting' Rishabh Pant Gets A Nice Run In Tests, Says Adam Gilchrist

Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist believes Rishabh Pant deserves a long run in Test cricket to adapt to the longest format of the game.

Rishabh Pant is one of the most exciting young talents in the world cricket at the moment. And he has been so impressive with his batting that the Indian team-management did not hesitate in fast-tracking him into the Test side for the ongoing series in England.

He got the call after his impressive run in this year’s Indian Premier League and for India A during the tour of England. Pant ended the IPL season as the second highest run-getter with 684 runs from 14 games for Delhi Daredevils. It included five fifties and one century. He then impressed for India A while playing two four-day games against West Indies A and England Lions.

He finally made his debut in the third Test at Trent Bridge and marked his arrival in Test cricket in style. On the very second ball he faced, he dispatched Adil Rashid for a six to get off the mark. He went on to score 24 and take seven catches to receive widespread praise.

However, things only went downhill after that game. In the first innings of the fourth Test, he conceded as many as 23 byes. What has further made things tough for him is his poor returns with the bat. Since his debut innings, his scores in this series read  – 1, 0, 18 and 5.

However, Adam Gilchrist feels that Pant must be given enough time to adapt to Test cricket.

“He looks a very exciting cricketer. He’s a Quinton de Kock type player in the way he bats and keeps. And we see a number of exciting cricketers come through the IPL. He’s another one who’s produced the goods and he’s been selected for India. So, it’s an exciting time for him. And, the challenge will be to perform at that level,” said the Australian great.

Gilchrist also spoke on the importance of backing a new player in order to replace established names.

“It’s a challenging situation for any team. When Shane Warne finished, he left a big hole in the team. Same [in India] when the Big Four departed. And, MS Dhoni is as good a player as any in the ‘keeper-batsman position… plus he captained as well. So, it might take chopping and changing to find that player [who can replace him].

So, the selectors need to allow players [time] to settle into the top level. If you churn through them too quickly, it can leave a psychological scar on players’ minds and that might limit their efforts in being able to produce their best. So, hopefully Pant gets a nice run at it. Obviously, there’s an Australian tour up for grabs. I am sure India – even on the back of the disappointments and frustrations of England – certainly have an opportunity to make an impression. I think they’d enjoy batting in Australia. And the conditions could make way for a hard-fought Test series,” he said.

Pant is likely to be retained in the Test side for the tour of Australia this year.  First-choice wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha is recovering from a shoulder injury and is likely to remain out for four months.