Rishabh Pant struck his maiden ODI century in the third ODI against England on Sunday. Meanwhile, Arun Lal has applauded his fearless approach.
Young Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been in the headlines since Sunday, having struck his maiden One-Day International (ODI) century during the third and final ODI against England at Old Trafford in Manchester. His ton allowed India to script a series win 2-1, as the visitors walked away with both white-ball titles during the tour. Meanwhile, his fearless approach was unique in Pant's innings, as he targeted every bowler and ensured that the required rate kept ticking. This approach has impressed former Indian legendary batter Arun Lal and backed him as a future leader for the side.
Talking to Jagran TV, Lal was asked if Pant is the future skipper of India, to which he replied, "Absolutely. I have always felt that the captain must deserve his place in the top three of the team. He [Pant] is not afraid to play his game, can handle the pressure nicely, and can take the team out of crunch situations, making such a player a great leader. It will be good for Indian cricket if we have an aggressive player like him as the side's captain."
ALSO READ: Hardik Pandya states 4-wicket haul against England in T20s was a confidence booster
"There was a time when drawing a Test watch was considered a win. But, this thinking has changed, and I give full credit to Virat Kohli. He changed the team's mindset and made it play for a win fearlessly, with no dread of losing the game. Virat brought that aggression to the side, and it can't get any better if Pant can continue this. If Pant continues to play consistently, he will be a hero for the Indian side," added Lal.
Further analysing Pant's overall gameplay and form, Lal concluded, "If you play well in the red-ball format, there are chances that you will do well in the white-ball format as well, with a bit of adjustment. However, it cannot be vice-versa because, in Tests, you need a different set of skills, i.e. the ability to handle various kinds of pressure and physical fitness to sustain five-day cricket."