Rishabh Pant Better Than MS Dhoni? Dinesh Karthik Has His Say On The Debate

Notably, Pant scored his sixth Test century on his comeback to the longest format of the game, equalling Dhoni’s record as the designated wicketkeeper with most hundreds for India. 

The 26-year-old scored 109 from 128 deliveries, smashing 13 hours and four sixes, helping India to set a massive 515-run target to chase for Bangladesh in the fourth innings of the Chennai Test.

Pant’s brilliant Test numbers have sparked a debate whether he is the greatest wicketkeeper-batter for India. However, Karthik opened up on the matter and said it is unacceptable to say after featuring in just 34 Test matches for India.

“It’s very unacceptable to say that he’s played 34 Tests and he’s already India’s greatest wicketkeeper-batter. Let’s take time, let’s not jump to conclusions but definitely he’s on course for sure and he will finish as India’s greatest ever wicketkeeper,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.

“Don’t discount Dhoni’s credentials as a wicketkeeper as well. He not only kept brilliantly, batted and scored runs when it mattered very, very well for India but also he led India to a World Test Championship mace which is becoming number 1. So you got to give all that weightage as well when you speak about a player all round,” he added.

Dhoni has 90 Test caps for India, scoring 4876 runs, at an average of 38.09 with six hundreds and 33 fifties to his name. 

While on the other hand, Pant has scored 2419 runs from 34 games at an average of 44.79 with six hundreds and 11 fifties, and is also India’s third most successful wicketkeeper with 134 dismissals in the longest format of the game.