Months leading up to the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, one modern great, Steve Smith, talking about another, Virat Kohli, got everyone talking when he described the Indian batting superstar as the 'most Australian' among all Indian players. One can understand where Smith is coming from. Australia is not a land for the weak-hearted. Their culture is such. The ruthless upbringing aptly reflects in how Australia play their cricket: a no-holds-barred approach. Over the years, several Indian batters have gotten under the skin of the Aussies through their performances –namely Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman – but even they couldn't match their intensity the way Kohli does. Always ready to give it back, sometimes even starting the fight.

That Kohli is an Australian can be viewed as both a straightforward and a back-handed compliment at the same time, but rest assured, there's a sense of truth to what Smith said. However, just days later, Smith's Aussie teammate Travis Head triggered a bit of an Australian U-turn when he named his version of an Indian with Australian traits, bestowing the crown on Rishabh Pant.

"The Indian cricketer I believe is most Australian would be Rishabh Pant. I think the way he goes about his aggressive nature and his work ethic would make him very enjoyable to play with," Head, who promises to be one of India's biggest threats, said during an interaction Star Sports.

Pant loved the gesture from the Australians and reacted to the clip with a fire emoji on Instagram. After all, the Aussies know Pant pretty well by now. He was the difference the last time India toured Australia in 2020/21 and beat them 2-1 with back-to-back impactful innings. He scored a pulverising 97 in Sydney, allowing India to draw the Test and then cracked an unbeaten 89 in Brisbane as India breached the fortress of Gabba. The series prior, Pant blasted his Test second century and the first on Australian soil with a blistering 159 not out at the SCG.

Australia's captain feels the same way

Head's opinion was echoed by Mitchell Marsh. Australia's T20I captain wishes Pant was an Australian as he feels he has all the characteristics required to be a true Aussie. His aggressive batting, daring attitude, a few verbal volleys here and there… Pant is box office. If there's ever a rising star who can take that baton of entertainment from Kohli, it's Pant. Making his comeback to the Indian Test team after almost two years, Pant began with a bang, peeling off a belligerent century against Bangladesh in Chennai, and he will settle for nothing less than being part of India's hat-trick of series wins Down Under.

"He's a ripping bloke. I wish he was Australian. He's obviously been through a lot over the last few years, and it's been a hell of a comeback. He's a positive guy, still really young, and he loves winning. He's highly competitive for someone who has the persona of being relaxed and always laughing and smiling. He's got that big smile," Marsh pointed out.

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