New Delhi: Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has advised Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant to respect the initial period of his batting innings ahead of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday (December 26).
Pant, who was the architect for India in the previous visit on the Australian shores, has been in focus for his antics with the bat. He has had some great starts to his knocks but hasn’t been able to convert them into the big ones. The southpaw has made 96 runs in five innings at an average of 19.20 with no half-centuries coming on his way.
Gavaskar, Hayden has contrasting advice for Pant
Gavaskar, who played 125 Test matches for India from 1971 to 1987, has counseled the youngster to not go and take on the opposition to the attack immediately. Instead, he should settle on the wicket and respect the early balls to understand the dynamics of the conditions very well.
“What Rishabh Pant has to do, like everybody else, respect the first half an hour; respect a little bit when he gets in there, whatever the position, unless, of course, India is 525 for 3; then he can tee off,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.
However, former Australian batter Matthew Hayden backed Pant to play his natural aggressive style of cricket and should be send to bat when the team have ample of runs to chase, that’s when the Indian gloveman can get his best.
“I have always been a fan of his. He’s kind of a different cheese; there is no doubt about it. And I would like to just see him explore that as well because he should be coming in a situation where, as I mentioned before, there are lots of runs; and if so, that’s a perfect scenario for him to be (in),” Hayden said.
“But it’s also the perfect scenario for Team India. A little bit like Rohit Sharma, I think we haven’t seen some counter-punching efforts from Rishabh, but he should have no fear in these conditions. I think in the absence of fear comes a great opportunity for Rishabh and Team India,” he added.
India and Australia are currently tied at 1-1 and will resume the series on Thursday with the Boxing-Day Test in Melbourne.
Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has advised Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant to respect the initial period of his batting innings ahead of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday (December 26). Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
