Former India captain Kapil Dev believes it would be better for India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant to take his time before going for the shots on the upcoming United Kingdom (UK) tour. Pant has shown great improvement overall in the last two Test series for India.
Kapil said Pant has learned a lot since his debut for Team India and he looks like a mature cricketer now. He also added that facing England at their home would be tough and it would be better for Pant to spend some time in the middle before switching gears, something they used to tell Rohit Sharma.
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“He looks a very mature cricketer now from the time he came into the side. He seems to have far more time to play his shots and obviously his range of strokes is awesome. But England will be challenging. He must spend more time in the middle and not just look to hit every ball. We used to say the same about Rohit Sharma, who had so many shots, but would step out and get out so many times,” Kapil Dev was quoted as saying by Mid Day.
“Same is with Rishabh now. He is an exciting player and very valuable too. All I would tell him is to take time before unfolding his range of shots. England is different.”
Kapil loves to stay glued to the play when there's a Test match going on and he is a big fan of the format. “Of course. I am a big fan of Test cricket. I love watching the full day’s play. If work keeps me away from the TV, I catch up with the highlights. I always watch as much as I can. There is nothing like Test cricket.”
Recently, New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen pointed out that Pant could be a danger for their side in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC), who could change the game on his own.
“Well, Pant is an extremely dangerous player who can change the game on its head. We saw how well he did it against Australia and England. He’s extremely positive-minded, but with that comes potentially the opportunity to take his wicket,” stated Jurgensen.
“Our bowlers need to execute well, stay calm and make it as difficult as possible for Pant to score runs. He’s certainly a free-flowing batsman and a tough one to stop, which we should keep in mind.”
(Quotes Inputs from Mid Day)
