AB de Villiers questions Pant’s Sri Lanka Test selection: ‘Looked low on confidence’

“The big surprise, however, is Saransh Jain. He’s 33 years old and has been playing first-class cricket for quite some time. It’s great to see him finally get his opportunity. He’s a right-arm off-spinner and a left-handed batter, similar to Washington Sundar.”

“He’s played for quite a while and his bowling numbers are excellent. He averages just over 27, with a strike rate of around 54. He’ll give Shubman Gill another useful option once the ball gets older in the middle overs. His batting record is also respectable, with several fifties and a couple of hundreds. I’d describe him as more of a bowling all-rounder than a batting all-rounder,” he added.

De Villiers also touched upon VVS Laxman stepping in for Gautam Gambhir for the Zimbabwe series and whether that could change the dynamic within the Indian team.

“Sometimes you think taking a break is the right thing to do—you rest, recharge and manage yourself—but then you suddenly realise that the players are really enjoying someone else’s presence. I don’t know whether there’s anything more to it, but perhaps VVS Laxman is putting a bit of pressure on Gautam Gambhir and forcing him to respond. Time will tell,” he added.

The former South African skipper also reacted to the “clicky ponting” incident in English club cricket, admitting that there was no place for cheating in the game.

“If it really was deliberate deception, then I absolutely hate seeing things like that. Especially if it actually influenced the umpire’s decision. The idea, obviously, is that the umpire hears the click, mistakes it for an edge, the wicketkeeper catches the ball, and the batter is given out.”

“If that’s genuinely what happened, then there’s no place for it in cricket. Deliberately creating a false sound to fool an umpire? There’s absolutely no place for that. If anyone is doing it intentionally, stop. Play the game fairly,” he said.