Rishabh Pant is now the world’s most exciting cricketer: Adam Gilchrist

“I love wicketkeeper-batsmen, particularly left-handers. And Rishabh is a dangerous player, who can produce unexpected results. He’s so exciting to watch, that’s a sign of a quality player,” said Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist (right) interacts with young Mumbai cricketers at MCA’s indoor academy in BKC yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble

Former Australia captain Adam Gilchrist believes India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is “the most exciting cricketer in the world at the moment.”

Being a dashing, left-handed wicketkeeper-batter himself, Gilchrist, admits he finds this breed exciting. “I love wicketkeeper-batsmen, particularly left-handers. And Rishabh is a dangerous player, who can produce unexpected results. He’s so exciting to watch, that’s a sign of a quality player,” said Gilchrist, who is in the city as part of Investment NSW, an initiative to boost travel and trade in Australia’s southern region of New South Wales.

Rishabh Pant

In his 108 international games across all three formats, Pant, 24, has scored 3,731 runs, including six centuries. Gilchrist, 50, who has 15,461 international runs under his belt and was involved in 905 dismissals as a stumper, admired Pant not just for his risk-taking ability, but also for his consistency. “Rishabh is aggressive, but while he takes risks, he also believes in his skills to get the job done. And he is doing that more consistently, which is fantastic,” Gilchrist told mid-day on the sidelines of an interaction with budding city cricketers at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Bandra-Kurla Complex indoor academy.

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On former India skipper Virat Kohli’s poor form, Gilchrist felt it’s only a matter of time before he makes a strong comeback. “It’s definitely a challenge to be consistent at the highest level. The centuries he [Kohli] has scored, the games he has won particularly while chasing, the standards he has set are so high. So it’s a tough one, but he is too dangerous a player to write off,” added Gilchrist.

Finally, on the upcoming T20I World Cup (October 16 to November 13) in Australia, Gilchrist is convinced that the hosts hold an edge. “Australia in home conditions will be very difficult [to beat]. Though I cannot pick a winner, I’m sure India will be in the top four along with Australia, England and Pakistan,” he concluded.