“He is playing smart and intelligent cricket” – Sunil Gavaskar praises Rishabh Pant’s mature display

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Rishabh Pant was in his element against England

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Sunil Gavaskar was left impressed with what he saw from Rishabh Pant during the ODI series decider in Pune. The former cricketer praised Rishabh Pant for his smart cricket.

Rishabh Pant top-scored for India with a stylish 78 in the third ODI against England. His 62-ball innings helped the team reach 329, with India winning the game by seven runs.

Discussing Rishabh Pant’s match-winning knock, Sunil Gavaskar lauded the youngster for adapting his game to the match situation.

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"Very, very impressed. He is carrying on the good form he has been in the past three-four months. Most of all, he is playing smart and intelligent cricket. He is not trying to slog every ball.”

An excellent knock from Rishabh Pant comes to an end. He was typically aggressive, but showed plenty of control as well - his false shot percentage, 5%, is the lowest of any batsman in the innings. #INDvENG

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) March 28, 2021

Rishabh Pant came in to bat at No.4 for India, at a time when the hosts were reeling at 121/3 after losing their momentum against the spinners. Known for his aggressive batting style, Rishabh Pant showed great temperament to bat India out of that precarious position.

His 99 run partnership with Hardik Pandya came in just 70 balls, as India’s lower order took the attack to England. Rishabh Pant’s full repertoire of shots was on display, as he notched up his highest ODI score on Sunday.

Sunil Gavaskar was impressed with the maturity shown by Rishabh Pant, praising him for picking his moments during the innings.

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"He is waiting for the right ball to come when the ball is tossed up and within his range, that's when he is playing the big shot. Otherwise, look at some of the other shots he has played. He has used the bottom hand to a good effect. He knows exactly where the fielders are. Therefore, he is making sure he is hitting the ball in vacant spaces."

Rishabh Pant makes the difference again

There is no greater takeaway from the last few months than an exceptionally special player finding his rightful place in every India side. Been saying it for ages, just back him, he's bound to come good, and he was so, so good. This has been the summer of Rishabh Pant. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/frd4wgNMfY

— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) March 28, 2021

Sunday’s knock was the latest instance of Rishabh Pant making a difference with the bat for India. Once regarded as an explosive but inconsistent and sometimes even reckless entity in international cricket, Rishabh Pant has transformed his game in recent months.

The youngster now picks his moments, rather than attacking from ball one. His altered game has brought dividends, with Rishabh Pant making a comeback to the white-ball side after making a difference in Test matches.

My player this international season is @RishabhPant17. In Tests, T20s & ODIs, he’s influenced several matches to India’s advantage & in thrilling fashion. Pant is the kind of player who will empty bars and stop work in offices when he’s in the middle

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 28, 2021

Rishabh Pant ended the ODI series as India’s third-highest scorer, despite playing a game less. He scored 155 runs in two matches, at a strike rate of 151.96, the highest of any batsman in the series.

The 23-year-old will be seen turning up for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021, where he will have greater responsibility owing to Shreyas Iyer’s injury-enforced absence.

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