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Farokh Engineer, Syed Kirmani back young guns Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw for future

Pant made his Test debut in the third match of the five-game series in England replacing out-of-form first choice Dinesh Karthik.

Mumbai: Former India wicket-keepers Farokh Engineer and Syed Kirmani on Wednesday heaped praise on young stumper Rishabh Pant, saying the young Delhi stumper has a bright future.

Pant made his Test debut in the third match of the five-game series in England replacing out-of-form first choice Dinesh Karthik and had a good game behind the stumps.

"He (Pant) showed immense promise and his reflexes are very, very good, especially the catch he took behind the ball moving. That itself tells you how much the ball moves in England, both in the air and off the pitch," said Engineer.

Engineer, a regular in the India squad of the 1960s led by the late Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi as a flamboyant keeper-batsman, felt Pant's work behind the stumps reminded him of his own younger days.

"(MS) Dhoni reminded me of my younger days. Rishabh Pant also reminded me of my younger days too. Pant has a very very bright future," the 80-year-old Engineer told reporters here.

"He (Pant) is a very talented player and I have seen him playing IPL. But playing IPL on our wickets and playing Test cricket in England are two different things, so he will have to adapt himself. He will do well and he has got the talent for it," added Engineer.

Echoing similar views, Engineer's successor in the national squad, Syed Kirmani, too believes that Pant is a player for the long haul.

"He (Pant) is talented player and he has been picked to play for India at the right time. And his confidence and approach is magnificent. He has a lot of talent and also in Prithvi Shaw (picked as opener for the last two Tests).

"I feel Rishabh Pant is a player for long run," said 68-year-old Kirmani.

The two former stumpers were in the city to pay tributes to former India skipper Ajit Wadekar at a condolence meeting organised here by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

( Source : PTI )
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