Virender Sehwag Opens Up On Comparison With Rishabh Pant In Test Cricket, Says 'No One Like Me...'

India recently won the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia by a 2-1 margin, earning them a place in the final of the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC). While India's victory was impressive, it was evident that they missed the presence of Rishabh Pant, their star wicket-keeper, during the series. Pant's absence is also expected to be felt during the WTC final against Australia, set to take place on June 7th at London's Kia Oval Stadium.

Pant has not only been India's most consistent batter in Test cricket but has also been known for his entertaining, fearless style of batting. Some have even compared him to former Indian opener, Virender Sehwag. However, Sehwag has brushed off such comparisons and claimed that the two players have significant differences in their style of play. Sehwag's ability to score big, with scores of 250-300, distinguishes him from Pant, who is yet to achieve such a feat. Sehwag holds the distinction of making two triple-hundreds in his career and almost scored a third, but was dismissed on 293.

"I don't think so there is any player in the Indian team who bats like me. The two players who came to my mind who have come close to it are Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant. I think Rishabh Pant is a little bit close to what I used to bat like in Test cricket but he is satisfied with 90-100 but I used to score 200, 250 and 300 and then be content. If he took his game to that level then I think he can entertain the fans even more," Sehwag said on News18.

Pant has been absent from the sport since December after being involved in a near-fatal car accident that led to multiple injuries and forced him to undergo knee surgery. The 25-year-old is currently undergoing rehabilitation and will miss the 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

"I used to play tennis ball cricket where my mindset was to hit more runs through boundaries. I played with the same template in international cricket and used to calculate how many boundaries I need to score a century. If I am on 90 and to reach 100 if I take 10 balls then the opposition has 10 balls to get me out, which is why I used to go for boundaries and gave them only two balls to stop me reaching the triple figure-mark. The risk percentage rate dropped from 100 to 200," Sehwag added.

Sehwag explained his aggressive style of batting, stating that it originated from his experience playing tennis ball cricket, which he brought into international cricket. Although Pant and Sehwag share similarities in their attacking style of play, it is evident that each player has unique strengths and differences in their approach to the game.

In conclusion, while India's recent victory was impressive, the absence of Rishabh Pant was felt during the series. His absence is also expected to be felt during the WTC final against Australia. Although comparisons between Pant and Sehwag have been drawn, it is evident that each player has a unique style and strengths, making them both great players in their own right.