After India’s home Test series loss to New Zealand, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali highlighted one standout player: star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant. Even though India struggled against New Zealand’s spin-heavy attack, Pant performed well throughout the series.
In the third Test, he scored 60 runs in the first innings and followed up with a resilient 64 in the second, all while his teammates, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, struggled on challenging pitches.
Basit Ali praises Rishabh Pant’s resilience during New Zealand series defeat Pant’s efforts gave India a fighting chance, but they still lost by 25 runs in the final Test at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
Basit Ali praised Pant’s shot selection saying he avoided risky shots and focused on his strengths, delivering a “masterclass” performance.
Basit Ali shared his admiration: “Rishabh Pant scored 60 in the first inning and 64 in the second. What can I say? People might value him at 25 crore, but I’d say he’s worth 50 crore. On that surface, he played as if it was a flat pitch—hitting wherever he wanted. His smart shot selection was key.”
Delhi Capitals (DC) didn’t retain Pant as captain for the IPL 2025, so he’ll enter the auction pool, reportedly due to this decision.
Pant on India’s series whitewash After his controversial dismissal in the third Test, Pant finally shared his feelings on India’s disappointing series loss, expressing his determination to help India recover.
Posting on X, Pant wrote, “Life is a series of seasons. When you’re down, remember that growth happens in cycles. Embrace the lows; they prepare you for the highs.”
Pant also joined elite hitters in reaching 50 sixes in the World Test Championship (WTC), a milestone previously achieved only by Ben Stokes and Rohit Sharma.
