England’s assistant coach Paul Collingwood has snubbed Rishabh Pant of India when asked about a wicketkeeper who has shades of Australian great Adam Gilchrist. Instead, the former England captain chose newbie Jamie Smith as his choice.
Rishabh Pant and Jamie Smith made news on Sunday, September 8. Pant made headlines after returning to the Indian Test team for a two-match series against Bangladesh. Pant was out of action during Tests owing to severe injuries received in a vehicle accident in 2022.
The left-hander made a remarkable recovery to return to cricket in the IPL 2024, swiftly regaining his place in the Indian squad. Pant also won the T20 World Cup 2024 with the Indian team.
Jamie Smith, on the other hand, scored a blistering 67 to help England avoid humiliation. England enjoyed a 62-run advantage over Sri Lanka in the third Test, but the tourists recovered to dismiss England for 156. Sri Lanka has scored 94/1 chasing 219 runs for victory in the third Test.
Paul Collingwood likens Jamie Smith to Adam Gilchrist, leaves out Rishabh Pant
Speaking after Day 3 at the Oval, Paul Collingwood praised Jamie Smith and described him as an entertainer. During the media interview, Paul Collingwood compared Smith’s abilities to Adam Gilchrist’s.
Adam Gilchrist was an aggressive batsman who used to challenge opposition bowlers with his attacking style. Jamie Smith has enjoyed an excellent start to his Test career. The 24-year-old has 404 runs in five Tests, with an average of 50.50 and a strike rate of 70, including one hundred and two fifties.
“It’s exciting when he comes in. He’s certainly an entertainer. You go back to the days of when Gilchrist would come in for Australia. It sucks the life out of you as the opposition when someone has the ability to do something like that. In his short Test career, he has shown some great skills,” Collingwood was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
Despite failing to score heavily in England’s first innings, Jamie Smith delivered a substantial knock in the second innings. He top-scored for England in the second innings, helping the hosts to 156 runs and setting a target of 219 for the visitors.
Also Read: Babar Azam And Shan Masood To Be Sacked? PCB Discusses Potential Captaincy Changes