Will we see Rishabh Pant at his best? Or will the wicketkeeper batter be a shell of himself in the upcoming IPL 2024 season? These questions are not only fair but important as well. Already touted as one of the 15 players the India cricket team will select for the T20 World Cup 2024, it is essential that Pant be back at his best to take the Men in Blue to a second title.
Not mincing his words, Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar raised concern over not having Rishabh Pant at his best. Speaking about Pant at the Star Nahi Far event, the IPL commentator said:
It’ll be very difficult. But the good thing is he has played some cricket. So he has got some practice. To get fluency in batting is a little tough because when you talk of a knee injury, the pivoting that takes place, wicket keeping is difficult as well, but even in batting, the knee is quite important. So maybe in the beginning, we won’t see the real Rishabh Pant that we are used to.”
Talking about how Rishabh Pant behind the stumps can prove to be an asset, not only because of his wicketkeeping but also his ‘other’ skills, Gavaskar said:
“To find a wicketkeeper like him who comments from behind the stumps, that’s full-on entertainment because there are a lot of wicketkeepers who would like to disturb your concentration by saying different things, but Rishabh Pant has the ability to say such a thing that whoever he is targeting, they also laugh, they also enjoy it. But when enjoying it, their concentration goes down a bit, right? The advantage is for his team then.”
