'He needs to get better...,' former India skipper Sourav Ganguly on Rishabh Pant's Test comeback

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly thinks Rishabh Pant needs to get better in white-ball cricket. The comments came as Pant made a comeback in the Test side for the first time since his life-threatening car accident in December 2022.

“He will be an all-time great in Tests if he keeps performing like this. For me, he needs to get better in the shorter formats. With the talent he has, I’m sure with time, he will become one of the best,” said Ganguly, who also is the mentor of Pant-led Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals, at an event in Kolkata on Monday (Sep 9).

Ganguly, however, has no doubt that the wicketkeeper-batter is going to be one of the greats in the red-ball cricket.

“I consider Rishabh Pant one of India’s best Test batsmen. I’m not surprised that he’s back in the side, and he will continue to play for India in Tests,” he said.

Ganguly also spoke on India's upcoming Test series and said that the tour of Australia and England (next year) are going to be the most important ones.

“I am looking forward to their tour to Australia; that, for me, will be the real test for the squad. Then, when they tour England in July, these are the two most important tours, to be honest," he said.

Before travelling to Australia in November later this year, India host Bangladesh and New Zealand at home. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for first Test against Bangladesh which starts September 19 but pacer Mohammed Shami was not included in that due to injury.

Ganguly said India has a potent pace attack for the tour of Australia and England which will be boosted once Shami is back.

"I think the pace bowling department, with Bumrah and Siraj, and once Shami comes back, will be strong,” said the former skipper.