Rishabh Pant made a triumphant return to Test cricket with a sensational century that powered India to a convincing victory over Bangladesh in the first Test in Chennai. His performance garnered widespread praise from fans and experts alike, reigniting the debate about whether Pant could rival MS Dhoni as India's greatest wicket-keeper batter.
However, former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith believes Pant still has a long way to go before being compared to Dhoni. Smith acknowledged Pant's talent but emphasised that Dhoni's "hero factor" makes it difficult for anyone to surpass him, at least for now. "Pant has massive shoes to fill. You talk about the 'hero factor,' and it's pretty hard to go past MS Dhoni. Pant's life will change dramatically if he continues performing, but right now, Dhoni is on another level," Smith said.
Despite the comparison, Smith is a fan of Pant's attitude and rates him highly for his fighting spirit. "Rishabh Pant has that fearless attitude. He's not the best wicket-keeper yet, but he's improving. I see him as a Gilchrist-like player, and I rate him very highly," Smith added, acknowledging Pant's growth as a gloveman and his potential to evolve into an even more complete player.
While Pant continues to carve his own path in Indian cricket, the debate around his place in comparison to Dhoni's legacy adds another fascinating layer to the discussion about India's best wicket-keeper batter.