"One of India's best in test but.." Sourav Ganguly gives reality check to Rishabh Pant's white-ball game

Sourav Ganguly said Rishabh Pant needs to improve in shorter formats.

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly hailed wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant as “one of India’s best test batsmen” but the former opener stated Pant needs plenty of improvement in white-ball cricket.

The former cricketer further added that he’s not surprised to see Pant being picked in the Indian test squad for the Chennai test against Bangladesh, starting on September 19. On September 8, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 16-member squad for the opening fixture of the two-match test series against Bangladesh.

Pant, who survived a life-threatening car accident in December 2022 was included in the squad. The 26-year-old Pant’s last outing in the longest format also came against Bangladesh.

Rishabh Pant will be an all-time great in tests: Sourav Ganguly

Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly believed that wicket-keeper batter Pant could become an all-time great batter in test cricket. However, Ganguly stressed that Pant needs to get better in white-ball cricket.

“I consider Rishabh Pant one of India’s best Test batsmen. I’m not surprised that he’s back in the side, and he will continue to play for India in Tests,” Ganguly said at a promotional event as quoted by Hindustan Times.

“He will be an all-time great in Tests if he keeps performing like this. For me, he needs to get better in the shorter formats. With the talent he has, I’m sure with time, he will become one of the best,” Ganguly added.

Pant is the only Indian wicket-keeper in history to slam a test century in England, Australia and South Africa. He had cemented his place in the test XI before his accident. However, Pant hasn’t done much of note in ODIs and T20Is.

The 26-year-old Pant has played 33 test matches till now. The left-handed batter has made 2271 runs at a good average of 43.67, including five centuries and 11 half-centuries. In T20Is, Pant has scored 1209 runs in 76 matches. The wicket-keeper batter was part of the T20 World Cup 2024 winning squad.

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