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India blessed to have 2 players like MS Dhoni in Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan, says Saba Karim

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Mar 16, 2021, 03:47 PM IST
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Former India wicket-keeper Saba Karim has said that the Men in Blue are ''blessed'' to have two talented players in Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant who are similar to MS Dhoni. The former glovesman further said that he expects both Pant and Ishan to play for India in all three formats of the game and do well. 

Former India wicket-keeper Saba Karim has said that the Men in Blue are ''blessed'' to have two talented players in Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant who are similar to MS Dhoni. The former glovesman further said that he expects both Pant and Ishan to play for India in all three formats of the game and do well. 

Karim has been left impressed by Ishan and Pant’s aggression and also how the two youngsters are playing fearless cricket with calculated risks.  

"It seems like that. If the Indian team can get two Dhoni's, there cannot be a bigger thing than that. The fearless and carefree manner in which both these players have played and they know what their roles are and showed amazing aggression and that too with calculated risks,” Karim said during a discussion on India News. 

The former cricketer added that Ishan and Pant are match-winners and India are blessed to have the duo in the shortest format of the game.  

"Both the batsmen have always attempted to prove themselves as match-winners. Earlier Rishabh Pant proved that and now when Ishan Kishan has been given an opportunity, his mindset has also been similar. 

"So I feel India is blessed to have match-winning ability players like Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant in the shorter format of the game. I have full confidence that in the future Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant will represent India in all three formats," Karim added. 

Pant has seen a turnaround in his career. After being sidelined from all formats of the game, the southpaw stormed back into form in the last three months and won games for India against Australia and England. Whereas Ishan became the second Indian, after Ajinkya Rahane, to score a half-century in T20I debut.  

Karim reckons Ishan and Pant have a solid foundation after representing India in the Under-19 World Cup in 2016. 

“Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant have both played the Under-19 World Cup for India in 2016. So their foundation has been extremely solid. They know their responsibilities in international cricket and how they have to prove themselves,” Karim further said