Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Meharoof lauded praise on Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and said that the hosts for the upcoming Test series would be afraid of him. Sri Lanka is set to host the Indian team for a two-game Test series starting on August 15 at the Galle International Stadium in Galle. Ahead of the series, both teams engaged in a three-day Warm-Up game where the visitors established their early dominance by recording a six-wicket win. As both sides gear up before the series, which will play a crucial role in deciding their fate for the WTC 2027 Final, the former all-rounder revealed what the team’s biggest concern could be.
Mahroof appeared in an interview with PTI, where he revealed that Sri Lanka’s biggest worry for the series could be Pant. He went on to laud the wicketkeeper-batter and said that the Indian can change the course of a game within an hour. "If I were in the Sri Lankan dressing room, I would be very worried about Rishabh Pant. He is a player who, within half an hour or 45 minutes, can completely change the game. We have seen him do it in the past.”
He went on to say, “He has that X-factor and has been given the licence to play his natural game. He is going to face a lot of left-arm spin and off-spin. Sri Lanka will surely go with two frontline spinners as well as two part-timers, but the way Pant scores runs, with his unorthodox style, he is going to be dangerous."
Farveez Mahroof Names Player who Could be India’s X-Factor in Upcoming Series
Mahroof named the player who he thinks can be the X-Factor for the Indian side in the upcoming Test series. Notably, the upcoming Tests are crucial for India to keep their WTC Final hopes alive. While the Indian side gears up for the must-win games, Mahroof believes the 26-year-old Gurnoor Brar could play a key role for the side in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. The former cricketer was all praise for the rookie pacer and said he would be tempted to hand him his Test debut.
“The ability to reverse-swing the ball, especially with the older ball, is something Bumrah brings, and that is going to be a massive miss for India. That is where I think they could lack some wicket-taking ability. Mohammed Siraj is a good bowler, with all due respect to him, but when you compare the two fast bowlers, there is a bit of a difference,” he said. “I really like Gurnoor Brar. I think he can be the X-factor. He has the bounce, the pace and the fighting spirit. He can be nasty," Maharoof went on to add.
Notably, during the Warm-Up game, Brar recorded figures of 1/49 during the first innings, and 2/37 in the second.
