Rishabh Pant’s attitude is like that of Ben Stokes: Nasser Hussain

Nasser Hussain, the former England cricketer, reckons that Rishabh Pant’s attitude while batting is similar to that of Ben Stokes. Pant scored 91 runs off 88 balls with nine fours and five sixes in India’s first innings of their opening Test against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

But then, he fell prey to the guile of Dominic Bess, who picked up four wickets. Pant currently has three scores in the 90s in India in as many Test matches at an average in the 90s itself. Hussain feels that the southpaw has game-changing potential and India won the Brisbane Test on the back of his attacking style of play.

Hussain said that Pant doesn’t mind throwing caution to the wind and his tactics have done wonders to India’s fortunes in recent times. Hussain put forth his opinions in his column for Daily Mail.

Rishabh Pant does not think about getting out: Nasser Hussain

“Rishabh Pant is an incredible, game-changing talent. If he hadn’t batted in his no-fear style, if he lacked any self-belief, then India would not have won that match in Brisbane last month that completed their greatest ever series victory,” Hussain wrote.

“Pant does not think about getting out, he just sees the attacking option and knows what he can achieve. If he was a cricketer that worried about what things look like when you get out cheaply, he would not be engineering the kind of result that shocked Australia and thrilled the world at the Gabba,” he stated.

Hussain was thoroughly entertained by Pant’s fearless display of batting. He also urged the netizens to not confuse him for just a slogger. The veteran said that Pant was cautious while going down the track against Bess, who dictated terms to quite a few batters in the first innings.

“His attitude is like that of Ben Stokes. What is the difference, when you have scored 91 if you are caught at short leg or the midwicket boundary? Yesterday, it made for much more exciting viewing to have Pant playing that kind of innings.

“But don’t confuse him for somebody who simply has a slog. Until his dismissal, he had left deliveries from Dom Bess outside the off stump expertly and very rarely used his feet against him,” Hussain added.

Pant, during his masterful knock, was severe on Jack Leach and smashed him for quite a few sixes. Last month, his unbeaten 89 helped India to win the Test against Australia 2-1.