Former India wicket-keeper batsman Saba Karim named the player who he feels will play a huge role in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final.
Team India over the last few months has been ruthless in all three formats both at home as well as in away conditions.
The Virat Kohli-led side is one of the fittest in the world and the fearless attitude of the players has helped the team reach new heights in world cricket.
The side defeated Australia in their backyard, twice on the trot, and recently crushed England in all three formats in the home series.
However, one of the main architects over India’s last two series is young explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant. The southpaw played some match-winning knocks against Australia and England and kept wickets brilliantly.
The biggest challenge now awaits Virat Kohli and Co. when they tour England for the WTC final against New Zealand and former Indian wicketkeeper Saba Karim feels that Rishabh Pant will have a 'huge role' to play.
In a discussion on India News, Saba Karim said that Rishabh Pant had played a major role in India reaching the WTC final.
“I feel the World Test Championship final that is going to happen and after that the five-Test matches in England, Rishabh Pant will have to play a huge role in that. We should not forget that Rishabh Pant has played a huge role in India reaching the World Test Championship final.
“If you ask me, I will say that in the entire Indian Test team, Rishabh Pant has had the biggest role in India reaching this stage, both as a batsman and with the wicketkeeping gloves," Saba Karim said.
Karim said that since Pant entered into the Test team, the combination has become very good and because of him, skipper Kohli goes into the ground with five bowlers because he knows he can play match-winning knocks at No.6.
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"Since the time Rishabh Pant has made his entry in the Indian Test team, the combination has become very good. Only because of Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli goes into the ground with five bowlers.
“He knows that he has a reliable batsman like Rishabh Pant, who can come at No.6, bat at a fast pace and play match-winning knocks,” he said.
Rishabh Pant has amassed 544 runs in the last two Test series against Australia and England. The 23-year-old could be vital to India’s chances in the WTC final and five-Test series against Three Lions after that.
(India News inputs)
