Harbhajan Singh. | (Credits: Twitter)
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has called for Rishabh Pant to show more consistency moving forward, given he has started the ongoing series against Australia quietly. With Pant returning to the scene where he scored a heroic 89* against Australia three years ago, Harbhajan believes the left-hander must cater to the situation.
The 27-year-old has scores of 37, 0, 21 and 28 in the first two Tests of the series. However, Pant has happy memories of the Gabba, the venue of the next Test against Australia, as he slammed an unbeaten 89 to ace a daunting run-chase of 329 with three wickets to spare. It also proved to be Australia’s first Test loss in Brisbane since 1988.
Speaking on Star Sports, Harbhajan praised Pant for his heroics in Brisbane in 2021 and called the fixture a historic one. However, the retired cricketer reckons the southpaw must fire if India are to win the series Down Under
“Yeh nahin hai ki Rishabh Pant pehli baar Australia aaye hain jo kisi ko pata nahin hai ki kya karenge. Woh jo paari kheli Brisbane mein, uske liye jaane jaate hain. Aaj bhi woh match yaad hai kyunki Rishabh Pant aur Gill ne – yuva they – unhone woh match nikala. Ajinkya Rahane us match mein kaptaan they aur eitehaasik match tha. But unse aur consistency ki zarurat hai, aur consistently kaise run bana sakte hain. Par thoda sa lag ke khelne ki zarurat hai. Kyunki scoop bhi maarte hain, reverse bhi maarte hain, woh thik hai. Par jahan situation jaise ho, team ki zarurat ho, thoda sa adke khelne ki bhi zarurat hai.”
(It’s not that Rishabh Pant has come to Australia for the first time and don’t know what he is capable of. He is known for that knock in Brisbane and is remembered because two youngsters – Pant and Shubman Gill won it for India. It was historic. However, Pant needs to work out his consistency. I don’t have a problem with playing reverse and scoops, but he must spend time in the crease.)
