England white-ball captain Harry Brook praised wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant as one of the world’s top batters ahead of the second Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Both players were at their best in the first Test of the five-match series, with Pant scoring two hundreds and Brook hitting 99 in the first innings.
Brook lauded the left-hander for his knocks at Leeds and confessed that the crowd would turn on the television when Pant was on the pitch.
Pant has struggled with inconsistency in his white-ball career, but he is performing well in the longer format. He has hit three century since returning from a lengthy injury layoff, surpassing MS Dhoni’s records.
“He is an excellent player. I enjoyed watching him bat. He attracts attention; when he bats, everyone turns on the television. “In my opinion, he is one of the world’s best batters,” Brook told The Hindu.
Pant’s unconventional shots in Test cricket have piqued the interest of many, but his approach has helped him solidify his status as India’s regular wicketkeeper. With his two century (134 and 118), he demonstrated incredible talent and put enormous pressure on the England players on home turf. Pant’s century failed as England chased down a target of 371 runs in the fourth innings, giving them a series advantage.
The 27-year-old’s recent efforts have helped him move up one spot to seventh in the ICC Test batting rankings. He is now India’s second-highest ranked hitter, trailing only Yashasvi Jaiswal in fourth position.
Pant took wickets for 182.4 overs in the first Test and played two magnificent innings, which must have worn him physically and mentally. The one-week hiatus is likely to give him ample time to heal before the second Test on Wednesday, July 2, at Birmingham’s renowned Edgbaston stadium.
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