Former Australian world-cup winning captain Ricky Ponting has said that the Delhi Capitals stand-in captain Rishabh Pant is a lot similar to Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson in terms fo throught process.
Ponting, who is coaching the Capitals in the IPL, said that having pant at the crease more or less gives certain of winning a game irrespective of situations.
"Someone like him (Pant), you want him to get involved in the game as early as possible, and bat for as long as possible. The way he thinks, he is actually a bit like Virat or Kane. Now, if they are in at the end, you are going to win more often than not no matter how many runs are required," Ponting said cricket.com.au.
Ponting also spoke at a length on Pant’s wicketkeeping and commenced him for being an energetic person behind the stumps who drives his side forward.
"He is energetic and you can hear that from behind the stumps, he loves being in the contest and he is a winner," Ponting added.
Earlier this year, Ponting likened Pant to Adam Gilchrist, who was arguably the best wicketkeeepr batsman in the history of the game on the basis of his match-winning perofmnaces with the bat. He reiterated that Gilchrist was obviously a better keeper than Pant, however he suggested that India’s gloveman is also on the rapid path of improvement.
"Gilly's keeping is better than Rishabh's no doubt about that. The way I saw him keep on turning pitches in India, I thought he kept way better than I thought he could," Ponting asserted.
Ponting outlined the need of improvement in his wicketkeeping and said if he does that, there is hardly any doubt that Pant would be India’s wikctekeeper batsman for the next decade.
"If his keeping improves, with his batting, he could be India's keeper in Tests for next 10-12 years no doubt,” Ponting spoke highly of Pant.
The Delhi Capitals have started off the IPL 2021 with a bang and Ponting would be hoping for more and more runs from Pant as the tournament gets deeper into the business end.