“I wish he was Australian”

Australia’s white-ball captain Mitchell Marsh has expressed great admiration for Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant, going so far as to express a wish that Pant was an Australian.

Australia will host India for a five-match Test series, starting from November 22 in Perth. The second match will be played in Adelaide from December 6, followed by the third Test in Brisbane, scheduled from December 14-18.

The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the fourth match from December 26, while the final Test will be played in Sydney from January 3.

During India’s last tour of Australia in 2020-21, Rishabh Pant played a key role in his side’s 2-1 victory in the four-match Test series. The southpaw played gutsy knocks of 97 and 89* in the third and fourth matches respectively and was adjudged man of the match in the latter.

Mitchell Marsh, in a recent interview with an Indian sports channel, praised Pant for his fighting nature, referencing to his recent comeback to competitive cricket after a life-threatening car accident in 2022.

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“He’s a ripping bloke. I wish he was Australian. He’s obviously been through a lot over the last few years, and it’s been a hell of a comeback,” said Marsh.

“He’s a positive guy, still really young, and he loves winning. He’s highly competitive for someone who has the persona of being relaxed and always laughing and smiling. He’s got that big smile,” he added.

Marsh’s team-mate Travis Head also voiced similar opinion, praising Pant’s aggressive intent on the field.

“The Indian cricketer I believe is most Australian would be Rishabh Pant. I think the way he goes about his aggressive nature and his work ethic would make him very enjoyable to play with,” said Head.

It’s worth noting that Pant has scored 624 runs at an average of 62.40 in seven Test matches that he played in Australia.

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