Former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith lauded Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for his fearless approach and versatility in batting, but stated that he still has room for improvement in his wicketkeeping skills. Comparing Pant's style to that of Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist, Smith believes that Pant's consistency behind the stumps will be a key factor in determining his success. Despite his century in the India vs Bangladesh Test match, Smith believes Pant still has a way to go before reaching the level of former Indian captain MS Dhoni.
Former New Zealand international Ian Smith believes that India's wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant can match the records of Australian great Adam Gilchrist if he continues his current form. Despite a long path ahead of him, Pant has already proved himself as a dynamic and dangerous player in all formats of the game, something that even his mentor MS Dhoni could not achieve. With the ability to bat up and down the order, Pant has become a valuable asset for Team India and has even replaced world-class cricketer KL Rahul in the lineup. However, while Pant has shown similarities with Gilchrist, Smith believes that he still has a long way to go to reach the Australian's iconic status.
Former Pakistan captain, Mohammad Hafeez, expressed his disappointment over current England skipper, Jos Buttler's recent statement about not wanting international cricket to clash with Indian Premier League (IPL). Hafeez was joined by former England captain Michael Vaughan and former Australian wicketkeeper, Adam Gilchrist, during a podcast where he spoke about how surprised he was by Buttler's statement. Hafeez questioned whether representing the IPL was more important to players than representing their countries.
In a recent discussion with Michael Vaughan, Adam Gilchrist pointed out RCB's lack of consistent Indian batsmen apart from Virat Kohli, highlighting a long-standing issue for the team. While their unsuccessful record in the IPL has been a subject of social media memes, the current season has only magnified the issue with underperforming overseas batsmen. Ahead of their match against Mumbai Indians, RCB bowler Reece Topley acknowledged the team's struggle to find a solution and the added pressure of their record at the Wankhede stadium. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have reassured their form after a convincing win against Delhi Capitals but captain Rohit Sharma's recent death overs slump remains a concern.
The 17th season of the Indian Premier League has been full of drama for Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya. Since replacing Rohit Sharma as captain, Pandya has faced intense booing from MI fans in every match. Former England captain Michael Vaughan and Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist weighed in on the controversy, with Vaughan stating that it was remarkable to see Indian fans booing their own player and Gilchrist pointing to Rohit Sharma's influence as a contributing factor. The intense backlash towards Pandya has sparked serious drama among Indian cricket fans.