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Mon, Nov 18, 2024 | Jumada al-Awwal 17, 1446 | DXB
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Ganguly backs Pant to make a big impact in Australia Test series
He is India's next-best red-ball batter after Kohli and could have a huge impact in the series, said Ganguly
India's fortunes will depend on wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant's form in Australia. — AFP
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly names Rishabh Pant as the next-best red-ball batter after stalwart Virat Kohli and predicts him to have a "huge impact" in the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Perth on Friday.
India will begin their quest to keep their hopes of featuring in the World Test Championship (WTC) final alive for the third successive time when the first Test of the five-match series starts in Perth on Friday.
With Virat Kohli struggling to find his top form for a team that is going to miss skipper Rohit Sharma, who is on paternity leave, and the injured Shubman Gill in the first Test, all eyes will be Pant who holds an impeccable record against the WTC defending champions.
Pant's aggression, which comes with a fair amount of risks, has allowed him to thrive, especially against Australia.
The flamboyant left-hander's fearless knock in 2021 on the final day of the fourth Test led to a famous series win for India in Brisbane.
Ganguly, who has closely worked with Pant during their time in Delhi Capitals in IPL, believes that the "generational talent" will have his say in the high-profile five-Test series Down Under.
"He is a special player. He still needs to evolve and figure out his game in white-ball cricket. But in red ball, he is just fantastic," Ganguly told Revsportz.
"Look at the innings he has played in England, Australia and South Africa, and you will know, he is a generational talent in red-ball cricket. He is India's next-best red-ball batter after Kohli and could have a huge impact in the series!"
Pant showed his knack for scoring runs in the recent Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand earlier this year. While displaying his terrific form, Pant racked up 422 runs from five matches at an average of 46.88 and a strike rate of 86.47.
The best of Pant came when India were down on the ground during the opening Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. He opened his arms and raised hopes with a scintillating 99, with Sarfaraz Khan (150) providing the perfect company on the other end.
The Pant-Sarfaraz partnership was one of the lone bright spots for India during that 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Ganguly also came out in strong support of Sarfaraz.
In response to questions about Sarfaraz's suitability for the challenging Australian conditions, Ganguly emphasized the importance of providing opportunities before passing judgement.
"You have to give him a chance to know. How can you say anything without giving him an opportunity? Let him fail first," he said.
"He has scored tons of runs in domestic cricket and has earned his spot in the team. No one has given it to him. So don't write him off before you have given him a chance.
"Once you do so, then you will be in a position to judge. I am very clear - you must give him an opportunity to know how good or bad he is. Without doing so, don't pass judgement on him."
Ganguly's remarks highlight the necessity of testing players in diverse conditions to truly assess their capabilities, rather than pre-emptively dismissing their potential based on assumptions.
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