January 19, 2021 was a monumental day for Indian cricket. Exactly a month after getting bowled out for 36 – their lowest Test total, India completed a famous 2-1 series win over Australia, their second in a row to cap off one of the most memorable Test series in the history of Indian cricket. Chasing 328 to win, India hunted down the total courtesy a gritty half-century from Cheteshwar Pujara and an innings of a lifetime from young Rishabh Pant, who remained unbeaten on 89 to see India through to a famous three-wicket win.
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Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who led Australia to the 2015 World Cup title weighed in on India's historic series win, calling Pant an 'absolute superstar'. In fact, Clarke admits spotting shades of two of the most iconic wicketkeeper batsmen in Pant – MS Dhoni and Adam Gilchrist and backed the 23-year-old to go on and score a triple century for India at some stage of his career.
"I have seen more of Rishabh Pant through commentating in the IPL. I always thought he is a superstar. I think probably India went a little bit safer in the first Test match, by picking their best keeper," Clarke told Sports Tak.
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{{/usCountry}}"But again, someone like Rishabh Pant, he has got to be playing. It's worth a risk, yes, he might drop a couple of catches but he's going to make a Test hundred, or a double hundred or a triple hundred. He wins games for that team. He has got MS Dhoni in him in his batting style or Adam Gilchrist in his batting style. Absolute superstar."
The year 2021 has been off to a fine start for Pant. In 2020, Pant’s erratic form saw him getting dropped from India’s ODI and T20I setup. He went to the tour of New Zealand last February included in both limited-overs international squads but did not get to play even a single game. Returning to cricket through the IPL, Pant had an average IPL and was trolled for his weight. He did not feature in India’s Test squad for the first match in Adelaide. However, Pant turned the course of the Test during the SCG Test, where he 97 ensured India were able to draw the Test.