Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has impressed one and all with his fearless and aggressive style of play and former Australian speedster Brett Lee believes that the youngster has the right blend to be a successful cricketer while calling him “the future of Indian cricket”.
The Aussie wasn’t only impressed by the 23-year-old’s cricketing knowledge, but also his behavior and attitude – not so arrogant and serious – saying his all these qualities make him a bright star for Indian cricket and probably the one to follow for the next generation.
He was also happy with the fact that Pant was appointed Delhi Capitals’ captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) as he feels the leadership responsibility will bring the best out of the youngster and he is excited to see what he brings to the table in the tournament.
Lee said on the show T20 Crazy on SportsAdda: “Pant is the future of Indian cricket. I like him because he is cheeky without being too arrogant; he is funny without being not serious enough. He has the right blend to be a successful cricketer.”
He added, “I like the fact that they've given Pant the opportunity to captain. I like that they've given him a little extra responsibility with his captaincy and batting. He's got so much to bring to the team.”
Meanwhile, the left-hander the way played ridiculous reverse scoops and aerial paddle sweeps against the world-class bowlers like James Anderson and Jofra Archer in the recent India-England series would have been left Lee fuming, but one of the fastest bowlers to have ever played cricket hailed his skills.
The former pacer added, “Imagine if I was bowling and that had happened. I would have been blowing up. But that's great. You want the guys to take it to next level; you want guys to be cheeky. It's about fun, fast exciting cricket. Guys like Pant bring that to the table.”
Lee further noted that Pant isn’t only a great find for India but also for the Delhi Capitals (DC) and hopes the partnership of Rishabh Pant-Ricky Ponting will produce fruitful results in the IPL 2021.
The Aussie added, “He is such a great find for India, a great find for Delhi. I believe also that the combination between Pant and head coach Ponting, will be a great little combination there. Two wonderful powerhouses coming together. Ponting's leadership qualities will rub off right on him.”
The DC, the runner-ups of the IPL 2020, have ticked all the boxes this season and Lee believes that the franchise had a great chance to win the trophy this year under Pant. DC will kick start their IPL 14 campaign against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday (April 10) in Mumbai.
Lee signed off by saying, “Delhi Capitals definitely have got the team. They have the right structure, the right coaching staff. They're playing on wickets that suit their style of cricket. Delhi, I believe, has a very good chance of taking the trophy.”
