'There's some work he needs to do...': Former England wicketkeeper gives massive advice to Rishabh Pant ahead of 4th Test

Former England wicketkeeper-batter Robert Charles Russell praised India vice-captain Rishabh Pant for his batting and glovework and his cricketing comeback after surviving a massive car accident in 2021. Russell, who announced his retirement from county cricket more than two decades ago, is still connected to the game via his paintings.

He believes that young Jamie Smith has a lot of talent and he will end up becoming England's greatest ever wicketkeeper batter.

"Rishabh Pant, you've got to watch him play. You've got to, whether he's batting or keeping wicket, you've just got to watch the guy. So he's an entertainer.

"And it's great to see that he's back playing cricket too (after the car accident). I think the young lad, Jamie Smith, I think he will end up being England's greatest ever batsman wicketkeeper of all time because the guy has got a lot of skill.

"He's a big guy, but he's quite agile. And his batting is so strong. I mean, you could put him into Gilchrist bracket, the way he hits the ball" Robert Charles Russell told PTI.

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While asked about whether Rishabh Pant made mistakes behind the wickets, the England star said that the India vice-captain will make mistakes, and doing wicketkeeping duties in England is not an easy task.

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"He's going to make mistakes because there are technically things that need to iron out. But he'll do brilliant things and he'll make mistakes as well, but most keepers do.

"But keeping in England is quite a difficult place to get wickets. So he's not going to be perfect here, but his batting is so strong.

"There's some work he needs to do (in wicket-keeping), standing up to the stumps, only minor adjustments. I'm going to tell him if he asks me. But they're small things and they're probably just small mental things about vision and what balls to expect where," says Russell before signing off and moving on to what he loves most.

Rishabh Pant left the field midway through the third Test match after sustaining an injury while keeping wickets. He handed over the gloves to Dhruv Jurel before walking off. However, Pant went on to bat in both innings and has been declared fit to feature in the fourth Test, scheduled to take place from July 23 to 27 at Old Trafford Cricket Ground.