New Delhi, Dec 24 Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has weighed in with key advice for Rishabh Pant ahead of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, saying that the wicketkeeper-batter has to respect the conditions first and then play his natural game.
Pant's performances across three Tests have been underwhelming, with the southpaw managing just 96 runs in five innings at an average of 19.20 with the highest score of 37.
"What Rishabh Pant has to do, like everybody else, is respect the first half an hour; respect a little bit when he gets in there, whatever the position—unless, of course, India is 525 for 3; then he can tee off," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Gavaskar noted that the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland have troubled Pant by bowling in areas that challenge his technique. "They get the ball to angle across. Pat Cummins and even Hazlewood give him a little bit of a problem; Scott Boland will give him a little bit of a problem because Boland bowls around that area as well," he added.
Pant’s legacy in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is already secure after his heroics at The Gabba in the 2020-21 series, where his unbeaten 89 guided India to a historic win. However, the 2024-25 series has been a different story for the dynamic left-hander.
However, former Aussie opener Mathew Hayden feels that Pant should follow his fearless style of play, as it will bring a great opportunity for him and the Team India.
"I have always been a fan of his. He's kind of a different cheese; there is no doubt about it. And I would like to just see him explore that as well because he should be coming in a situation where, as I mentioned before, there are lots of runs; and if so, that's a perfect scenario for him to be in, but it's also the perfect scenario for Team India.
"A little bit like Rohit Sharma, I think we haven't seen some counter-punching efforts from Rishabh, but he should have no fear in these conditions. I think in the absence of fear comes a great opportunity for Rishabh and Team India," said Hayden.
The fourth Test, set to begin on Thursday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, is crucial for both teams as they aim to gain the upper hand in the tightly contested five-match series, which is currently levelled at 1-1.
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