England Test captain Ben Stokes has lavished praise on India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, calling him one of the most entertaining cricketers in the world. Speaking in an interview with journalist Sahil Malhotra, Stokes admitted that even though Pant plays for the opposition, he enjoys watching the left-hander go about his game. “When you set a talent like him free, you saw what happens,” Stokes said. “Very dangerous player. I really enjoy watching him.”

Pant, who made his return to Test cricket during the England tour of India earlier this year, has consistently delivered explosive performances under pressure. His fearlessness of the world’s best bowlers makes him everyone’s favourite and an absolute nightmare for the opposition captains. His most celebrated knock was at Edgbaston in 2022 – a counter-attacking century against England that even had the home crowd clapping.

What makes this praise even more special is that it is coming from someone like Ben Stokes, a fiend for competition and arguably one of the great modern all-rounders. Stokes is only too aware of how devastating Pant can be. But for all the on-field friction, there’s mutual respect between the two cricketers  who both play a similarly fearless, attacking brand of cricket.

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England’s Test captain lavishes praise on India's fearless star, describing him as "one of the most exciting players in the world game".

In an era of sports when competition can often subsume comradeship, it’s nice to see players appreciating each other for their art  and not just across borders. It is, in equal parts, a remark to Pant’s skill as well as further proof of the universal appeal of his batting.Scooping James Anderson over the slips or reverse-sweeping Leach, Pant plays on instinct and that is what makes him so special.

While Pant writes his comeback, the encouragement from opponents such as Stokes would be a big motivation for him. As more India vs England rivalry heats our eyes in the coming years, fans can be excited for this thrilling rivalry – based on respect and imposing rivalry.