"He wasn't quite the wicketkeeper that Rishabh Pant is" - Sanjay Manjrekar's massive comparison with legend after ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has lauded Rishabh Pant following his twin centuries in the first Test against England at Headingley in Leeds, which concluded on Tuesday, June 24. The cricketer-turned-commentator believes the left-handed batter can surpass former India captain Rahul Dravid for the most Test centuries by Indians in England. The 59-year-old added that Pant is a better wicketkeeper than Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara.

Notably, Pant scored 134 and 118 in both innings of the opening Test. He currently has four centuries in 10 Tests on English soil. As a wicketkeeper, Pant has 167 dismissals in 44 Tests (87 innings), including 152 catches and 15 stumpings. Meanwhile, Sangakkara had 151 dismissals in 134 Tests (90 innings), including 131 catches and 20 stumpings.

Sanjay Manjrekar told JioHotstar (via Mid-Day):

“When you look at all of Rishabh Pant’s achievements, the first instinct is to think of him purely as a batter, and understandably so. Because when you’re talking about batting exploits in England, scoring twin hundreds, the names he’s being compared with are legends like Dilip Vengsarkar, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Sunil Gavaskar. “But here’s the remarkable part — he’s also a wicketkeeper. That’s what makes it almost unbelievable. I know someone like Kumar Sangakkara had a phenomenal batting record, but he wasn’t quite the keeper that Rishabh Pant is.”

Manjrekar added:

“Pant is India’s first and last choice as a wicketkeeper in this Test side — and that says a lot. Now, if you look at the numbers — most hundreds by Indians in Tests in England — Rahul Dravid leads with six. And suddenly, you have Pant’s name in that same elite bracket. “Who knows, by the time this series is done, Pant could match or even surpass Rahul Dravid. There are still four Tests to go in this series — that’s potentially eight innings for Pant. And he’s already started in near-perfect fashion.”

“Rishabh Pant is box office” – Former England cricketer lauds wicketkeeper-batter

Former England cricketer David Lloyd recently heaped praise on Rishabh Pant for his exploits with the bat in the first Test. The 78-year-old wrote in his column for Daily Mail [via News 18]:

“Rishabh Pant is box office. It is fabulous to see him back after his near-fatal car crash in 2022. He is supremely talented and a real entertainer.” “I bet he’s a beggar to play against as he rubs the opposition up the wrong way. We are in for a real treat watching him throughout this five-Test series,” he added.

Pant will next be seen in action during the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham, starting July 2.

Click here for the ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test full scorecard.

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Edited by James Kuanal