"Like me, he thinks that spinners shouldn't exist" - Farokh Engineer hails Rishabh Pant's match-winning ability with the bat

Former Indian wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer praised Rishabh Pant's match-winning ability with the bat and felt the left-hander can play even as a specialist batter upon his return from injury.

Pant suffered a ligament tear, among several other injuries, after being involved in a horrific car accident in December 2022. The latest reports suggest the 26-year-old could return during the 2024 IPL season.

However, Engineer also shared his reservations about Pant's wicket-keeping skills possibly waning in his return.

In an interaction after his felicitation at the Bombay Gymkhana, Engineer said:

"I was so sad to hear about Rishabh's accident. I hope that he's recovered now. I'm not sure (that) he'll be able to ‘keep wickets, because once you lose your sharpness, the sixth sense... but his batting is so good, he can be a match-winner for India with the bat. He has so much confidence as a batsman. Like me, he thinks that spinners shouldn't exist."

Before the unfortunate injury, Pant was arguably India's most valuable Test batter, with an average of 43.67 and a strike rate of over 73 in 33 outings.

The southpaw also boasts impressive ODI numbers, with an average of over 34 and a fearsome strike rate of 106.65 in 30 games.

"I reckon India will win 3-2" - Farokh Engineer predicts result of ongoing India-England Test series

India v England - 1st Test Match: Day Four

Farokh Engineer picked India to win the ongoing Test series against England by a close 3-2 margin but cautioned the hosts against complacency.

After dominating most of the first Test and capturing a 190-run first innings lead, India suffered a shocking 28-run defeat to fall into a 0-1 deficit.

However, the hosts have staged a sensational recovery and find themselves ahead by 171 runs with ten wickets in hand in the second innings of the ongoing Vizag Test.

"I reckon India will win 3-2. But don't underestimate England. They are a good side. Had they won the toss and decided to bat, who knows? We might have been in a predicament. They might have been leading by 150," said Engineer.

The former wicket-keeper also criticized the batters for India's defeat in the first Test and wanted them to be more clinical moving forward should they level the series.

"When we get a chance, we got to grab it with both hands. Like in Hyderabad, we should have got 600. All our batsmen got too complacent, thinking that we will be able to dismiss them because the ball was turning. Let's not be complacent. After winning this Test, put the screws down," concluded Engineer.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's double century and Jasprit Bumrah's six-wicket haul have highlighted Team India's dominance thus far in the second Test.

They will start Day 3 at 28/0 in their second essay and look to level the series at one apiece.