'He has carried his confidence from batting': Gambhir names player he thinks will be a 'great asset for India'

India vs England: The current crop of India's youngsters has impressed Gautam Gambhir, who has backed one of them to be a 'great asset' for Indian cricket in time to come.

Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir is pleased with the impressive youngsters that are emerging onto the scene in Indian cricket. The likes of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Siraj have already made heads turn in such short India career thus far. In Gill, India have found a reliable opener and his batting has got the world talking. After MS Dhoni, in Pant, India's search for an explosive wicketkeeper seems to have finally ended, whereas Siraj has shown he can be a long term-prospect in India's already formidable bowling attack in the time to come.

Gautam Gambhir reckons the youngster can be a game-changer for Indian cricket. (Getty Images)

Of the three, the youngster that has really impressed Gautam Gambhir is Pant, who not only scored another important half-century for India on Day 2 of the second Test against England in Chennai, but took a couple of brilliant catches too. Fingers have always been pointed towards Pant for not being a finished product behind the stumps, but having taken two stunning catches on Sunday to send back Ollie Pope and Jack Leach, Gambhir reckons his impressive show with the bat seems to be rubbing off in his wicketkeeping as well.

"He has carried his confidence from batting. And if you're batting well, it reflects on your keeping as well. This is probably the toughest place to keep – against Ashwin, against Axar. He's only going to get better from here on," Gambhir said on Star Sports. "And the way he’s kept in this innings, it was a big challenge for him. It only gets easier from here on and I’m sure he’ll get better over time once he keeps scoring runs, he keeps keeping, he will be a great package for India."

Pant took a fine one-handed diving catch down leg after tea to remove Pope in the 39th over. If that wasn't convincing enough, the wicketkeeper fashioned another fine dismissal taking another one-handed flyer, plucking the ball that flew off the outside edge of Leach's bat off the bowling of Ishant Sharma. Looking at his glovework, Gambhir touted Pant as an asset for Indian cricket going forward, someone who can change the game with his batting.

"Someone who can bat at No. 6 and actually can change the game. There are not many in world cricket at the moment. Probably Jos Buttler can change the game with his batting skills but Rishabh Pant, if he keeps doing what he has in this Test match, he will be a great asset for Indian cricket going forward," Gambhir added.