Rishabh Pant in action during Test against Bangladesh© AFP
Former Indian cricket team batter Aakash Chopra believes that it is too early to consider Rishabh Pant as the best wicket-keeper batter to play for the country. Pant slammed a brilliant century during India's win over Bangladesh in the first Test match in Chennai and his performance led to a number of experts and fans hailing it as the 'greatest in Test' for India. However, during an interaction of Colors Cineplex, Chopra pointed out that with MS Dhoni featuring in the list as well, it is difficult to call Pant the 'greatest'. But he also added that Pant would remain in the conversation considering his performances against the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) in Test cricket.
"MS Dhoni's name is present in that list, so there will be a question on that. However, if you see from the viewpoint that we only consider performances in SENA countries, because we have grown up like that, he is the only wicketkeeper to score centuries in South Africa, England, and Australia," he said.
WELCOME BACK TO TEST CRICKET, RISHABH PANT!#RishabhPant #INDvBAN #IDFCFirstBankTestSeries #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/C4gJuv29Y1
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"He has already scored six centuries and he has played just 58 innings. Even if he is not the greatest now, he can definitely finish as the greatest," Chopra added.
In the same discussion, former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja was asked whether Australia will be wary of Pant ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and he said that every team must be 'scared of him'.
"I think every team must be scared of him because you can have a regular player who performs consistently, that's a different fear. You want to get him out at the start or he will make you run the entire day," Jadeja said during the discussion.