Rishabh Pant will make a lot more Test hundreds than MS Dhoni, predicts Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting, aka Punter, has made another bold prediction. The former Australia captain thinks that Indian Test wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant will surpass former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni‘s tally of six Test tons.

Pant, who scored his maiden Test hundred in the fourth Test against Australia, was named ICC Men’s Emerging Player for 2018 on Tuesday. He is also one of the three Indian players included in the ICC Test team of the Year.

Pant's career in red ball cricket has so far seemed to have impressed former Australia captain Ricky Ponting who compared the Delhi wicketkeeper with the legendary Adam Gilchrist.

“We talk about MS Dhoni all the time and his impact on Indian cricket. He played a lot of Tests for India but made only six Test hundreds. This kid will make a lot more Test hundreds than that. We talk about him in the commentary box and he is sort of like another Adam Glichrist,” he said.

"He is a real talent and an incredibly good ball striker. He has got a really good game sense as well. He is someone who could play a lot of Test cricket for India across formats. He has got to do a bit of work on his keeping and he will also become a better batsman,” Ponting was quoted as saying by the ICC website on Tuesday. 

Gilchrist also hailed Pant saying the Indian wicketkeeper is one player he would “happily pay to watch”.

“He’s a cricketer that is at the start of his journey so he’ll learn these particular parts of the game and he’ll learn that there’s always more time than what you think, but he’s got a great foundation to be a successful Test cricketer.”

“He’s a cricketer that I would happily pay to watch,” he said.