'But the ability and calibre -- no one had any doubt about it.'
Lucknow Super Giants mentor Zaheer Khan has asserted that skipper Rishabh Pant's calibre and ability were never in doubt despite his underwhelming performances for most of the IPL season.
Bought for a whopping Rs 27 crore at the mega auction, Pant endured a lean patch, managing just 269 runs from 13 innings. He found his trademark big-hitting touch only in the last game of the season with a 61-ball 118 but that too ended up in a losing cause against Royal Challengers Bengaluru here on Tuesday.
"He's been good as a leader. That was a positive for us throughout the season. The form with the bat was definitely a learning experience for him, having this kind of season.
"But the ability and calibre -- no one had any doubt about it," Zaheer said in the post-match press conference on Tuesday.
The former India pace spearhead said it was good to see the swashbuckling keeper-batter, end the season on a high.
"We're happy he finished on a really strong note -- that's the calibre he has, and the impact he can have on the game," Zaheer added.