Gilchrist compares Pant with MS Dhoni: Former Australian wicket-keeper feels Rishabh Pant should be given more opportunities.
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Adam Gilchrist, legendary Australian cricketer and a true ambassador of the game, has urged the Indian selectors to not drop Rishabh Pant after his initial failures in Test cricket.
He has also added that the youngster should be persisted with for sometime as judging him from a limited number of Test matches would be unfair.
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Gilchrist is currently in Bengaluru for a local cricket tournament. He has been posting frequent pictures of his visit across his social media handles. In front of one of the best wicket-keepers, it was an apt opportunity for the press to talk about Pant, who has struggled in the ongoing tour of England.
Speaking at a promotional event, Gilchrist was quoted, “He (Pant) 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”, he added.
Having made his T20I debut last year, Pant was included in India’s squad for the Test series against England after impressive performances for India A against England A. That being said, the 20-year old wicket-keeper failed to convert his domestic form at the highest level.
“So, the selectors need to understand some consistency in selection and allow players a chance to settle into the top level is really important. 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. Hopefully, Pant gets a nice run at it. Obviously, there’s an Australian tour up for grabs”, Gilchrist said about if the selectors are looking of dropping Pant after three matches.
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On being asked about Dhoni’s replacement in the Indian (Test) team, Gilchrist said that it won’t be easy for the management to replace someone of Dhoni’s calibre. “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”, he said.
“When Shane Warne finished, he left a big hole in the team because of the quality of person and player that Shane was. Same when the Big Four [Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman] departed [in India]. They are huge gaps to fill”, Gilchrist further added.
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