Ponting : Pant is not all crash and bang, he is a proper Test batsman
Ricky Ponting has stated that Rishabh Pant has a lot of skills to become a proper Test match batsman.
Rishabh Pant’s momentum-shifting 29 pushed the Aussies out of their game in Melbourne and his 97 in the second innings of the SCG Test was the major difference in the result. The way he batted and ensured the Aussies failed to seize the game left a lasting imprint.
And the talk instantly moved around to the fact that India can play him as a specialist batsman with Wriddhiman Saha as a keeper. Ponting, the Delhi Capitals coach, feels that Pant has an extraordinary skill set which he can use to be a proper Test match batsman.
“It’s not all crash and bang with him, there is a lot of skill involved, and he is proper test match batsman to the point today where a lot of the commentators were saying can he play as a batsman in the middle order and have Saha keep,” Ponting said, reported Hindustan Times.
“Taking on Lyon like he did, even with fielders out says he backs himself and his skillset. I said at the start of the series that there is a chance for him to cement himself as India’s keeper-batsman for the next 10-12 years and innings like today will go a long way in helping that.”
“It was a masterstroke to put him up there, but he still got to play that innings, and he did it. He does it in his own way; he does it with a bit of swagger and confidence,” Ponting added.
Ponting praises Pant promotion
Ajinkya Rahane’s calm and astute leadership in the MCG Test was praised by one and all and the Mumbaikar made another masterstroke by promoting Pant to bat at No.5. Ponting was all praise for that.
“Very good proactive captaincy or coaching for sending Rishabh up. For India to stay in with a chance to win, they needed to do that. He had a little bit of luck with Paine putting him down a couple of times,” Ponting said.