Gilchrist to Rishabh Pant: Don’t try to be M.S. Dhoni

Former Australia stumper Adam Gilchrist feels youngster Rishabh Pant should focus on being his own best version.

India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was criticised for bad DRS calls in the first T20I against Bangladesh.

 

Australian wicketkeeping great Adam Gilchrist had just one advice for the embattled Rishabh Pant — don’t try to be the next Mahendra Singh Dhoni just as he didn’t try to be Ian Healy 2.0.

Pant has been struggling to hold on to his place in the Indian team despite a resounding start to his career with Test hundreds on debut in England and Australia. In Sunday’s T20I match against Bangladesh, Pant also coped criticism for bad DRS calls, something that Dhoni had mastered.

Glichrist reiterated that the 22-year-old Pant should only focus on being his own best version instead of trying to ape the iconic former captain, who is currently on a sabbatical.

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“My number one suggestion to Indian fans and journalists would be: Don’t attempt to compare him with MS Dhoni. The mould that they used to make Dhoni, they have mashed it up once he was made. So that they make sure that there is not another one,” he quipped at a promotional event of Tourism Australia.

“I know from personal experience, I went after Ian Healy, who was picked in the best ever Test cricket team in Australia. I just didn’t want to try to be Ian Healy. I wanted to learn from him but I wanted to be Adam Gilchrist and that would be my advice to Rishabh,” he said.

Gilchrist, however, did urge the youngster to learn from Dhoni’s phenomenal career during which he led India to two world titles.

“My advice would be to learn everything you possibly can, work as hard as you can but don’t try to be MS Dhoni. just try to be the best Rishabh Pant,” he said.

Day-night Tests

India was requested to play a day-night Test in Australia during the 2018-19 tour but the visitor had declined the offer. A year later, India will be playing its maiden Test with pink ball against Bangladesh from November 22 in Kolkata.

“They would be here next summer after the T20 World Cup. I expect there will be a day-night Test there. I haven’t heard from Cricket Australia but I expect there would be one.

“I was a reluctant starter of day-night Tests but now I can totally see the positive outcomes that is going to help Test cricket stay relevant.There is going to teething issues, particulary in India with dew, working out what series, what venues and it will take a bit of time,” Gilchrist said.