Maybe in the beginning, we won't see the real Rishabh Pant that we are used to: Sunil Gavaskar

At the Star Nahi Far event organised by Star Sports, renowned former India cricketer and StarCast member Sunil Gavaskar shared exclusive insights with Star Sports, delving into various aspects of the upcoming IPL season. From analysing the potential challenges facing teams like the Mumbai Indians to discussing the anticipated return of Rishabh Pant, Gavaskar offered a unique perspective on the cricketing landscape. He also provided intriguing commentary on the entertainment value brought by players like Pant and the leadership dynamics surrounding Shubman Gill. Moreover, Gavaskar highlighted potential breakout stars for the season, shedding light on players poised to make a significant impact on the field.

To begin with, Gavaskar spoke on how difficult it will be for Rishabh Pant to make his comeback into cricket. He said, “It'll be very difficult. But the good thing is he has played some cricket. So he has got some practice. To get fluency in batting is a little tough because when you talk of a knee injury, the pivoting that takes place, wicket keeping is difficult as well, but even in batting, the knee is quite important. So maybe in the beginning, we won't see the real Rishabh Pant that we are used to."

Also Read: ‘He started screaming with so much pain’ - NCA physio recalls Rishabh Pant’s tough rehab

The 74-year-old also spoke on the entertainment that Pant provides as a chatty wicket-keeper.

“To find a wicketkeeper like him who comments from behind the stumps, that's full-on entertainment because there are a lot of wicketkeepers who would like to disturb your concentration by saying different things, but Rishabh Pant has the ability to say such a thing that whoever he is targeting, they also laugh, they also enjoy it. But when enjoying it, their concentration goes down a bit, right? The advantage is for his team then,” Gavaskar added.

The legendary cricketer also spoke on the problem that Mumbai Indians may face in the bowling department, saying, “Death over bowling. Bumrah is there, but from the other side, maybe the runs will be leaked. So this, I think, is a weakness for the Mumbai Indians' side. In batting, they have quite a few batsmen, so anything can happen.”

Regarding the challenge which Shubman Gill will face as captain of Gujarat Titans, Gavaskar opined, “That is going to be the most important thing: the way he can handle the captaincy. Will it affect and impact his batting? And the second thing is there is a commonality in our initials; both of us are SG's, and if we go even further, my initials are SMG, and he has Shubh-Man Gill in his name.”

Also Read: Newly-appointed skipper Shubman Gill joins Gujarat Titans huddle

When asked about who could maybe turn out to be the breakout player this IPL season, he said “Dhruv Jurel can be that person definitely. The way he has batted this year and the way he batted last IPL, he can definitely get a promotion up the order. Akash Deep, he hasn't got a lot of opportunities, but the way he has shown performances on the big stage in test matches, probably he will get more opportunities now, and that can make a big difference.”