Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka’s former Test captain, has praised Rishabh Pant’s aggressive batting approach ahead of the upcoming Test series between India and Sri Lanka beginning Saturday in Galle. Mathews, who led Sri Lanka to victory against India at the same venue in 2015, believes the Indian wicketkeeper-batter possesses the destructive qualities necessary to dominate matches in challenging conditions.
Drawing parallels to Virender Sehwag’s historic performances in Sri Lanka, Mathews emphasized the importance of backing players who can shift momentum quickly. He noted that batsmen like Pant, who adopt an attacking mindset from the moment they enter the crease, can trouble opposing bowlers significantly. According to Mathews, such aggressive players require consistent support from team management to maximize their impact.
While spin bowling features prominently in discussions surrounding the series, Mathews cautioned against overestimating its significance. He highlighted that excessively prepared turning pitches can sometimes disadvantage home teams, as batsmen struggle regardless of their skill level. Additionally, Mathews stressed the value of pace bowlers, particularly highlighting Sri Lankan seamers Asif Fernando and Vishwa Fernando as key contributors in the series.
Mathews also addressed Sri Lanka’s broader Test cricket challenges, attributing inconsistent performances to insufficient match opportunities. He expressed disappointment that major cricket nations limit their engagements against Sri Lanka and called for the International Cricket Council to facilitate more frequent Test encounters for the island nation.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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