"He is not Rishabh Pant, he is Rishabh 'Phainta'"- Shoaib Akhtar on Pant's match-winning 125* against England
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar hailed Indian star Rishabh Pant for his incredible hundred in the ODI series decider against England at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The 46-year-old was mesmerized by the array of shots that Pant had on display as he took the game away completely from the hosts.
Akhtar also commended the 24-year-old for his consistency in pulling off incredible knocks like these for India every now and then, that too in crunch situations like series deciders.
In a video on his YouTube channel, here's what the speedster had to say about the southpaw:
"He is not Rishabh Pant, he is Rishabh 'Phainta'. He is an incredibly courageous player. He cuts, he pulls, he also plays the reverse-sweep and isn't afraid of anything. He won games in Australia and even here, this series should be named after him."
Shoaib Akhtar pointed out how Pant paced his innings and took his time to settle down, understanding that India were in a precarious situation.
He feels if the wicketkeeper-batter works a bit on his fitness, he could become a world beater. Akhtar added:
"My advice to him would be to improve his physique because he has the talent to put a number of teams into trouble. I was also impressed with the way he was so calculative in the chase. Once he is done pacing his innings, he becomes ruthless and knows how to accelerate. He can only stop himself now from here, I don't think anyone else can."
Congratulations to #TeamIndia on winning the ODI series. Keep up the good work and continue this form. Special mention to @RishabhPant17 and @hardikpandya7 for a wonderful performance.
#ENGvIND https://t.co/TTaHwyGhzT
Hardik Pandya, the bowler, brings incredible balance to the team: Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar also shed light on Hardik Pandya's genuine all-round performance in the third ODI. He was particularly effective with the ball, bagging figures of 4/24 and helping the visitors restrict England to just 259.
On this, Shoaib Akhtar stated:
"I was happy to see Hardik Pandya perform as a bowler as he brings an incredible balance to the team. I am also delighted that he has become serious about his fitness. He got a good shock when he was out of the team for 1-2 years."
Pandya also contributed a breezy 71 with the bat that played a crucial role in helping Pant settle at the other end. Shoaib Akhtar feels with such consistency, the 28-year-old can rule the cricketing world.
He added:
"He outshone other bowlers and I would advise him to remain focused on his game. The amount of compact shots that he has, I don't have any doubt that he will become one of the best all-rounders in the world."
Pant and Pandya have solved quite a few doubts that Team India had about the middle-order for the time being.