NEW DELHI: As India gear up for the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, experts are zeroing in on the players who can make a difference in the series.
Both the teams have match-winners in their teams and the series is set to be a riveting one providing edge-of-the-seat excitement.
The Australia media has already gone overboard in not just praising the Indian superstars but as has always been the case, mind games have also begun.
A couple of days back, the front page of the Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph had a picture of Virat Kohli with a title in Hindi that translated to ‘Fight for the ages’ and had Yashasvi Jaiswal on the back page with the title in Punjabi that translated to ‘The New King’.
The sports page of the newspaper not just had the journey of Jaiswal chronicled but it also heralded Jaiswal as India’s next superstar, stating that the opener is on track to succeed Kohli.
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Now a viral video shows former cricketers Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan during a talk show and the host asks former England captain Vaughan that with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy coming up, who would be the one player he is looking forward to watch in this summer from the Indian squad.
Vaughan replies, “Yashasvi Jaiswal would be one, but Rishabh Pant, I think he is absolutely box-office. He makes batting look more like he’s just playing in the backyard. For India to be really competitive, this man on screen Rishabh is gonna have to play a blinder once again.”
During the fourth and final Test of India’s last tour of Australia at the Gabba in January 2021, Pant played one of the most iconic innings in Test cricket history.
Pant played a fearless, match-winning knock, scoring an unbeaten 89 off 138 balls to chase down 328 runs on the fifth day as India achieved a record-breaking victory at the Gabba, a venue where Australia had been undefeated in Tests for 32 years.
The innings highlighted Pant’s fearless approach and unyielding belief, even under immense pressure. His aggressive mindset, combined with clever shot selection, helped India pull off one of the greatest chases in Test cricket.
This was a major moment in his career and elevated his status as a cricketer who thrives in high-pressure situations and uses his attacking play style to turn games.
