'If he goes on to play 100-plus Tests, his name would be etched in history books forever': Sehwag on India youngster

An India legend with the experience of over 100 Tests, Virender Sehwag has identified a player from the current Team India set-up who has what it takes to play a century of Test matches for the country.

Only a handful of cricketers have accomplished the achievement of playing 100 Tests for India. Not even the great MS Dhoni or Mohammad Azharuddin could get there. That speaks volumes of how much effort it takes for an Indian player to get to 100 Tests. Last year, Virat Kohli became the latest inductee in the 100-Test category for India, joining an elite list comprising Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh and other former superstars.

Virender Sehwag has spoken highly of India's 24-year-old cricketer.  (Getty)

Another India legend with the experience of over 100 Tests, Virender Sehwag has identified a player from the current Team India set-up who has what it takes to play a century of Test matches, and that is none other than Rishabh Pant. The 24-year-old Pant has had an explosive start to his Test career, and already 30 matches old, Sehwag reckons that if the India youngster can last the distance, he will establish himself as one of the all-time greats of Indian cricket.

"If he goes on to play 100-plus Tests, his name would be etched in the history books forever. Only 11 Indian cricketers have achieved this feat, and everyone can recall those 11 names. Why does Virat Kohli emphasise so much on playing Tests? He knows that if he plays 100-150 or even 200 Tests, he will be immortalised in the record books," Sehwag said on the Sports18 show 'Home of Heroes'

Pant is not even 25 and if he can go on to play for another 10 years consistently, there is no reason why the dynamic India wicketkeeper batter can't get to the milestone. Pant has already notched up some epic innings for India in his four-year-long Test career. On his first tour of England and Australia, Pant scored a century each and established himself during the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy playing two extravagant innings in two highly crucial Test matches.

In Sydney, with India battling to save the Test, Pant counter-attacked with an epic 97, which changed the course of the match allowing India to go for the win. Although the match ended in a draw, the legend of Pant had grown. Later, in the final match at the Gabba, with the series tied at 2-2, Pant played arguably the innings of his life as his unbeaten 89 took India to one of their most famous Test match wins.

In 30 Tests, Pant has scored 1920 runs an at average of 40.85, including four centuries and nine fifties.