New Delhi, Sept. 5 -- Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina praised wicketkeeper/batter Rishabh Pant's hard work and performances, calling him one of his favourite players and highlighting his X-factor.

Raina backed Pant to mature further in white-ball cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) while continuing his strong form in Tests.

Speaking about Rishabh Pant on Aakash Chopra's YouTube show, Suresh Raina said, "He has worked hard. I am very happy. Everyone does well, but he is one of the best. He is my favourite player. He is scoring a lot in Tests. He has that X factor. I think he will mature in white-ball and IPL as well. He has done really well."

Pant has established himself as a key member of India's Test setup, despite being ...