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Here's Kapil's advice to Pant: Don't look to hit every ball

By Rediff Cricket
May 26, 2021 16:30 IST

'All I would tell him is take time before unfolding his range of shots. England is different'

IMAGE: Kapil Dev said Rishabh Pant needs to spend more time in the middle, instead of looking to hit every ball. Photograph: BCCI

Following his heroic in the Test series Down Under, Rishabh Pant will be considered as the first-choice wicket-keeper for the upcoming England tour.

 

It’s his second visit to England for a Test series and the 1983 World Cup winning Indian captain Kapil Dev wishes to see him playing his part well.

Team India will be travelling to the United Kingdom to play New Zealand in the final of the World Test Championship which begins on June 18 in Southampton. Later, in the month of August, Virat Kohli & Co are also slated to square off against the hosts in a five-match Test series.

While speaking to Mid-Day newspaper, the legendary all-rounder stated that playing in English conditions will be challenging and Pant needs to spend more time in the middle, instead of looking to hit every ball.

'He looks a very mature cricketer now from the time he came into the side. He seems to have far more time to play his shots and obviously his range of strokes is awesome. But England will be challenging. He must spend more time in the middle and not just look to hit every ball. We used to say the same about Rohit Sharma, who had so many shots, but would step out and get out so many times,' Kapil Dev said.

'Same is with Rishabh now. He is an exciting player and very valuable too. All I would tell him is take time before unfolding his range of shots. England is different,' he added.

Rediff Cricket

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