Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson can go a long way if groomed properly, asserts Syed Kirmani
Syed Kirmani has stated that both Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson should be groomed properly and they could go a long way in their international careers. The former India wicket-keeper has also asserted that every team should have two genuine specialist wicket-keepers, not makeshift ones.
Former India wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani has heaped praise on the batting and wicketkeeping skills of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, following their impressive form in IPL, and has been of the opinion that if groomed properly, they could make a mark in international circuit for a long time.
“Sanju and Rishabh should be groomed in the domestic circuit. But it has to be seen in the long run. You cannot just consider the performance of one season. Then only will you know where they stand? The kind of phenomenal strokes Rishabh played in IPL, I don’t think he will be playing the same in Tests, four-day or 50-over matches,” said Kirmani, as reported by Hindustan Times.
“Grooming is very important. It helps a player get experience and confidence. If they want to last long, they also have to keep their heads on their shoulders. I have seen many youngsters going into the wilderness because of money power etc,” Kirmani added, who has played 88 Tests and 49 ODIs.Â
Pant has been exceptional this IPL season for Delhi Daredevils. Though his team ended at the bottom of the points table, the 20-year-old is currently holding the orange cap with 684 runs at an average of 52.61, which also includes an unbeaten hundred and five half-centuries. Sanju Samson, who did not keep wickets for most of IPL, was Rajasthan Royals’ second highest scorer with 391 runs that was dotted with two half-centuries. Advising both young guns, Kirmani mentioned that they should keep wickets to quality spinners in order to improve their art.
“Young wicket-keepers who are being inducted from U-19 teams and others like Sanju and Rishabh – their standards are in the process of becoming really good,” he said.
“These two have been doing a great job but they have a lot to improve which will come only with experience. They should keep for quality spinners to gain more experience in different conditions and pitches,” added Kirmani, who kept wickets for India’s famous spin quartet of Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivas Venkataraghavan (both off spinners), Bhagwat Chandrasekhar (a leg spinner), and Bishen Singh Bedi (a left-arm spinner).
When asked about young and experience wicket-keepers in the team, Syed Kirmani pointed out that MS Dhoni has been the right man for the job and should continue playing till he wishes to. Further adding to his statement, he declared that each team should keep two genuine wicket-keepers in their squad to support the primary one.
“Every team should have two genuine specialist wicket-keepers, not makeshift ones. Dhoni should continue as long as he wants. But there should be a second wicketkeeper too to support him. Dinesh Karthik, Parthiv Patel, and Wriddhiman Saha – these guys are very experienced. The team should rotate these three and whoever is in good form, shows consistency and has physical fitness, should be selected.”
