India vs AustraliaOne of the big differences is that there is no Rishabh Pant, says Ian Chappell

By India Today Sports DeskIan Chappell, while analyzing India’s defeat at the hands of Australia in the Indore Test, said that one of the biggest differences in the series has been the absence of Rishabh Pant for the hosts.

Pant was involved in a horrific car crash in December last year and needed to have surgery to repair the injuries he had sustained from the accident. The wicketkeeper is now expected to be out for a considerable amount of time from the playing field.

In Pant’s absence, KS Bharat has been keeping wickets in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar trophy series. However, Bharat’s contributions with the bat has been underwhelming.

Many felt that Pant’s ability to deflect pressure back on the opposition was needed at Indore, where Australia won by nine wickets. Dinesh Karthik on the third day of the Test had posted a message remembering the wicketkeeper.

Speaking on Cricinfo, as quoted by Hindustan Times, Chappell said that one of the big differences has been the absence of Pant for the hosts and everyone is slowly starting to see how important the 25-year-old is to the Indian team.

“One of the big differences is that there is no Rishabh Pant in this Indian side. They have started to see how important Rishabh Pant is to the Indian side,” said Chappell.

Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria also had the same opinion and said that Pant wouldn’t have spared Matt Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon if he was a part of the lineup.

“If you would ask Rishabh Pant how to bat against these spinners, he would tell you to use your feet, get to the pitch of the ball, and smash the ball a long way. Had he been there, he wouldn’t have spared Lyon and Kuhnemann. He would have forced them to change their lengths by attacking them. Indian batters have been disappointing,” said Kaneria.