"He should be sold for ₹50 crore" - Basit Ali on Rishabh Pant ahead of IPL 2025 auction
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali believes that Team India's wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant deserves to be sold for a massive amount at the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) mega auction. His comments came after the southpaw's twin half-centuries in the recently concluded Mumbai Test between India and New Zealand.
Pant was released by Delhi Capitals (DC) on Thursday, October 31. Basit opined that the stumper should get a whopping ₹50 crore at the upcoming mega auction. Speaking in a video shared on his YouTube channel, the cricketer-turned-expert said (from 4:39):
"Rishabh Pant scored 60 in the first innings and 64 in the second. What can I say about this kid? People say he should go for ₹25 crore in the IPL auction. However, I think he should be sold for ₹50 crore. When he batted on this pitch, it seemed like a flat track. He hit wherever he wanted to but his shot selection was good."
Pant registered scores of 60 and 64 in the Mumbai Test. India suffered a 25-run defeat in the encounter, failing to chase down a 147-run target. It is worth mentioning that the left-handed batter was the leading run-getter of the rubber, chalking up 261 runs from six innings.
With the victory, New Zealand became the first team to whitewash India at home in a three-match Test series.
"Not expected from a senior player" - Basit Ali on Ravichandran Ashwin's dismissal in India's second innings of Mumbai Test
India were bowled out for 121 while chasing the 147-run target in the Mumbai Test. Rishabh Pant was the lone warrior with his 64-run knock. Walking out to bat at No. 10, Ravichandran Ashwin was required to help his team cross the line.
However, the seasoned campaigner perished after scoring eight runs, losing his wicket while playing the reverse sweep to off-spinner Glenn Phillips. Basit Ali suggested that an experienced player like Ashwin should not have made such a mistake at the crucial juncture.
Basit said in the aforementioned video (from 6:48):
"The shot that Ashwin played was not expected from a senior player who has played 100 Tests. You tried to hit a reverse sweep when a partnership was needed."
New Zealand's left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel was named the Player of the Match in the Mumbai Test for picking up 11 wickets across two innings. Will Young was adjudged the Player of the Series as he finished with 244 runs across six innings.