Pant has got a pretty good defensive technique, bit like Dhoni: Sanjay Manjrekar

Rishabh Pant played a fabulous knock of 109 off 128 balls in the first Test against Bangladesh at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. Paired with Shubman Gill’s ton, India are on a pedestal and are inching towards an emphatic win. Pant, who is known to play some out-of-the-blue shots and attacking cricket, often gets called out for lacking the technique to defend the ball.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, commenting on the southpaw's batting technique, likened him to former India skipper MS Dhoni. Pant was always touted as an able successor to Dhoni and the wicketkeeper batter is crafting his reputation while holding the successorship. Manjrekar also added that Pant is pretty good in choosing the right bowlers to attack.

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"It's a misleading package we see with Rishabh Pant. Underneath that, you will see as many dot balls in his innings at Shubman Gill's. So, he is willing to also play the defensive game that we have seen many times in the past. He has got a pretty good defensive technique, bit like Dhoni, whose defensive technique was quite good. People talk about the leadership and the big-hitting power that Dhoni had, but his defensive technique was pretty good, and the same with Rishabh Pant as well," Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.

It's about Pant playing as per the situation: Sanjay Manjrekar 

Pant, along with Gill, added 167 runs for the fourth wicket. Their skill with the bat was at par, so much so that the duo put up 124 runs in quick time without breaking sweat. The southpaw struck at a rate of around 90 and Manjrekar noted that his gameplay is a bit like former India opener Virender Sehwag. He also highlighted Pant’s importance for the upcoming five-match series against Australia away from home.

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"We've seen these phases but it's about Pant playing as per the situation, sometimes dependent on his mood but also very careful about choosing the right kind of bowlers as long as there were off-spinners bowling, he wasn't taking too many chances. So he is that kind of player who has his own way of getting runs and has his own agenda - a bit like Virender Sehwag. When India goes to Australia, that is when they [India] truly need him,” Manjrekar concluded.