Parthiv Patel, the former Indian wicketkeeper has been highly impressed with swashbuckling left-hander Rishabh Pant’s consistency, especially in Test cricket. The 24-year-old played another impactful inning against Sri Lanka on Sunday, becoming the fastest Indian player to score a Test fifty.
Parthiv Patel believes Rishabh Pant has already elevated himself into one of the top three wicketkeepers of all time that India have produced based on batting ability. However, in terms of impact, the 37-year-old reckons there is no one better at the moment than Rishabh Pant.
Parthiv Patel: Rishabh Pant Is Currently The Best Keeper And Should Be Allowed To Play His Natural Game
Rishabh Pant was dismissed on 96 off 97 balls on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali. He also scored a brisk 39 off 26 balls in the first innings of the 2nd Test and now has 185 runs averaging 61.67 in the series.
Speaking after the end of Day 2 of the second Test, Parthiv Patel said about Rishabh Pant’s impact in Test cricket: “Rishabh Pant has consistently improved his wicketkeeping.
“However, if we talk about pure batting ability, then he is among the top three (among Indian wicketkeepers). But if it is about having an impact on the game, then Rishabh Pant is currently the best wicketkeeper.”
Rishabh Pant’s shot selection often comes under the scanner as there are numerous occasions where he throws his wicket away while trying to hit a big shot early in his innings. However, Parthiv Patel opined that the team management should be patient with the 24-year-old and should let him play his natural game.
He added: “Rishabh Pant is such a blockbuster player that there will always be a debate on an odd occasion whether there was any need to play that shot. But I think he should be allowed to play his natural game because if you expect him to bat like others then he will no longer be the Rishabh Pant we know.”
With India having bowled Sri Lanka out for 109 early in the day’s play, the hosts extended their 143-run first-innings lead with some quick scoring in their second innings. It was Rishabh Pant, batting at No. 5, who took charge of the innings and attacked the visiting bowlers to help consolidate India’s control. With his brisk fifty, Rishabh Pant broke Kapil Dev‘s almost 40-year record of the fastest Test fifty by an Indian batter.
Parthiv Patel Defends Time Of Declaration As He Believes It Was Important For India To Reach A Safe Defendable Score
Earlier on Sunday, Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah took a fifer, his first in a home Test, as India ran through Sri Lanka’s lower order and bowled them out for 109. Sri Lanka had resumed batting at 86/6 on Day 2 but could add only 23 runs to their total.
The Indian pacers wreaked havoc against the visitors under lights on Day 1 as there was plenty of help for the swinging pink ball. Thus, it was assumed that the hosts would once again put Sri Lanka in to bat under the lights as soon as they could to make full use of the conditions.
However, India bowled just seven overs late on Day 2 and there has been an argument as to whether the declaration could have come earlier. However, Parthiv Patel believes it was important for the hosts to reach a safe score as Sri Lanka can’t be taken for granted.
He stated: “You cannot take any international team lightly. It is important to reach a safe score first and even if it had been any other international team, India would have thought the same way.”
Parthiv Patel added: “Yes, there could be an argument that India would have got more overs to bowl under lights, but the thought process is always to reach a target that you are comfortable defending. “
With three full days left in the game and India needing just nine wickets to win, there is a high chance that the match will end on Day 3 itself.
India 1st innings: 252 Sri Lanka 1st innings: 109 (Angelo Mathews 43; Jasprit Bumrah 5/24). India 2nd innings: 303 for 9 declared (Shreyas Iyer 67, Rishabh Pant 50, Rohit Sharma 46; Praveen Jayawickrama 4/78). Sri Lanka 2nd innings: 28/1(Dimuth Karunaratne 10*, Kusal Mendis 16*, Jasprit Bumrah 1/9)