Off The Field

Pant doesn’t need to make big changes, knows how to deal with these conditions: Karthik

Written by Abhishek Patil

Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant doesn’t need to make drastic changes and will come good in India’s ongoing five-Test series against England, said Dinesh Karthik. Karthik, a wicketkeeper-batsman himself who is part of the commentary panel for the series, said that he is confident Pant will come good in the series.

While 23-year-old Pant has often been lauded for his wicketkeeping, he has been criticised for his poor returns with the bat. In five innings, Pant has managed just 87 runs at an average of 17.40.

“Pant has got most of his runs that way, he got tons of it in Australia and you will have to give him the time and allow him to flourish,” Karthik told TOI.

“I don’t think he needs to change anything drastically in the middle of the series. Pant knows how to deal with these conditions. He is a match-winner and I believe he will come good,” he said.

Pant was India’s highest run scorer in their 2020/21 Test series against Australia with 274 runs in five innings. He led India to victory in the series by scoring an unbeaten 89 off 138 balls in the fourth innings of the final Test at the Gabba. It helped India chase down a target of 328 and marked the first time in over three decades that Australia had lost a Test match at the Gabba.

Pant became a regular in the Indian team across formats after the series and was their second highest run scorer in their 3-1 win over England in a Test series at home.

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Abhishek Patil