Rishabh Pant says he is ‘not the best’ and has ‘big shoes to fill’ on Dhoni comparisons: ‘It’s hard to surpass MS’

He is only 26 years old but Rishabh Trousers continues to defy the odds. They said his unconventional and aggressive batting would not allow him to succeed in Tests. But here he is – one of India’s most consistent and reliable batsmen abroad. They said Pant’s keeping skills still have a long way to go. Surprise, he is already playing amazing strokes and is very impressive behind the wicket. They said he will never be the same after that freak accident. Well, guess who scored more than 400 IPL2024 and this one T20 World Cup victory and then a dream century on his Test return? It was that guy again, Rishabh Pant.

Rishabh Pant has ‘big shoes to fill’, says Ian Smith. (PTI)

Pant’s exponential rise in world cricket was expected, but not this soon. Six years, he had to miss a year due to injury – Pant already has six Test centuries, the same Mrs Dhoni After 90 Tests. Indeed, as Wasim Akram put it, ‘a miracle childIt is because of these very rare and special talents that Pant brings to the table that the world cannot help but compare him with his peers. Adam Gilchrist and Dhoni, two of the greatest and aggressive wicket-keeper batsmen in the history of the game.

But the former New Zealand batsman Ian Smith Unbelievably, Pant has a long way to go before he can be considered in the same category as the legendary Dhoni. Don’t get me wrong, Smith loves Pant and loves watching him bat, but in terms of following and the incredible things Dhoni has achieved in his career, Pant has ticked most of the boxes so far, but according to Smith, he has some catching up to do.

“I like Pant as a cricketer. It’s an extremely important role and he has very big shoes to fill because honestly, they have a constantly changing door since Dhoni. You talk about the hero factor, it’s quite difficult to beat MS. But when you reach a certain stage in Indian cricket and you start performing at the international level, your life changes dramatically. You become a superstar beyond anything most sportspersons can possibly emulate,” he said on talkSPORT cricket.

‘Pant is not the best glovemaker’

Pant is a true superstar for India in Tests and while he hasn’t been able to replicate the same feats in ODIs or T20Is, according to Smith, Rishabh’s attitude is different. Just look at the pace of some of the innings he has played – 97 in Sydney, 89 at the Gabba, six Test centuries with six scores in the 90s. Pant’s keeping skills have come a long way since his Test debut in 2018 and while Smith believes there is room for improvement in this regard, the dynamic India wicket-keeper batsman exudes the same aura as Australian great Gilchrist.

“Rishabh Pant… I love him because he has that attitude. He will not shy away from a fight. If you tell him to open, he will open. If you tell him to bat at No. 5, he will do it. He may not be the best gloveman the world has ever seen, but he is working on it, he is getting better. And it is productive because you spend most of your day standing close to the goalposts. For me, it is a sure thing. He is like Gilchrist in that respect. I give him a lot of credit,” Smith said.