Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta has backed Rishabh Pant to maintain his natural attacking approach during the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. Dasgupta described Pant as a genuine student of the game and one of India's biggest match-winners in the longest format. The cricketer-turned-expert stressed that Pant's presence in the middle order could be India's biggest advantage, particularly against Sri Lanka's spin-heavy bowling attack.
India's batting unit must avoid falling into a defensive
mindset against Sri Lanka's spin attack, according to Dasgupta. Instead, the visitors should look to put the bowlers under pressure, with Pant capable of leading that aggressive approach. Dasgupta believes this strategy offers the best chance of success in the series.
"He should bat exactly the way he usually does. I remember a few matches back where he was overtly defensive. I would rather have him get out going for a six than getting out playing a forceful defense," Dasgupta said on his YouTube channel.
Why Pant should stick to his aggressive approach
Dasgupta further elaborated on the different strengths of individual batters when facing varied bowling attacks. He noted that not all players possess the same skill set when it comes to defensive technique.
"The truth is certain batters have defense as their strength, while it's attack for others," the 49-year-old stated.
Pant's Test record and current form
Pant's Test record demonstrates his capability as a match-winner in the format. He currently has 97 sixes in 50 Tests while scoring 3557 runs at an average of 43.37 with 8 hundreds and 19 fifties. He needs to hit three more sixes to become the first-ever Indian cricketer to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket.
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Pant's recent performances have shown strong consistency, with an average exceeding 50 across eight matches in the current cycle. However, he scored only 30 runs across two innings in India's warm-up fixture against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI side. The first Test in Galle on August 15 will provide an early indication of how India cope with their injury setbacks and whether their new-look combination can deliver a winning start to the series.
