3 times Rishabh Pant irked his team
Rishabh Pant's on-the-edge approach when it comes to his batting has seen thrills and spills galore over the years. While his exuberant style of play has enthralled viewers as well as helped the team on several occasions, it has also led to some major repercussions.
While the wicketkeeper-batter is highly rated and backed by the team management, his judgment and shot selection have left them frustrated at times. Often attributed to his young age, there is a growing belief that the Delhi-born batter will improve with time, blending talent with responsibility.
On that note, let us recall three instances where Pant earned the wrath of his team.
#1 Ravi Shastri calling out Pant for his poor shot selection - 1st ODI vs West Indies in 2019
2019 was a significant year for Pant. He had the opportunity of a lifetime to seal the wicketkeeper's spot in the Indian team following the retirement of MS Dhoni.
His first series as the designated ODI wicketkeeper did not go as planned. Touring the Caribbean after the World Cup, the 24-year-old could only muster 21 runs in two innings of the three-match series.
After the Delhi-born batter was dismissed for a duck, he was heavily criticized by then-head coach Ravi Shastri.
Speaking to Star Sports ahead of Team India's T20I series against South Africa at home in September 2019, Shastri said:
"We'll let him be but at times when you see a shot, like the first ball dismissal in Trinidad, if he repeats that, then he will be told. There will be a rap on the knuckles, talent or no talent,"
The Indian former all-rounder added:
"As simple as that. Because you are letting the team down, forget letting yourselves down. In a situation where you have the captain at the other end, a target to chase, the need of the hour is sensible cricket,"
The youngster's struggles continued for a while as he registered yet another first-ball duck in the subsequent T20 series. Shortly after, he went on to lose his place in the limited-overs setup for India's tour of Australia and New Zealand.
#2 Rohit Sharma disappointed with Pant's manner of dismissal - 1st T20I vs West Indies in 2022
The immensely talented wicketkeeper-batter has rescued India out of countless situations, but has often left the team in peril due to his untimely dismissals as well.
One such occasion was during the recently concluded T20I series against the West Indies. In the first T20I, India were well poised at 88-2, nearing the 10th over mark.
bit.ly/IND-vs-WI-on-F…India losing wickets in quick succession as @RishabhPant17 and @hardikpandya7 departs without ticking the score board much.
Watch the India tour of West Indies LIVE, only on #FanCode 👉 bit.ly/IND-vs-WI-on-F…
@BCCI @windiescricket
#WIvIND #INDvsWIonFanCode #INDvsWI https://t.co/6H850WDdIT
However, Pant lost his wicket while trying to play a wild slog off the final ball of the over, only to get a leading edge straight to short third-man. Skipper Rohit Sharma, who was at the non-striker's end, was visibly disappointed with Pant's irresponsible shot.
In the same bilateral series, Rohit was once again miffed with the youngster for not affecting the run-out quickly enough. While Nicholas Pooran was stranded in the middle of the pitch, the wicketkeeper opted to keep the ball in his gloves instead of clipping off the bails.
Two of West Indies' best performers dismissed within minutes. Will the total prove too high now?
Watch all the action from the India tour of West Indies LIVE, exclusively on #FanCode 👉 bit.ly/IND-vs-WI-on-F…
@BCCI @windiescricket
#WIvIND #INDvsWIonFanCode #INDvsWI https://t.co/GBAUfWtiBy
Not pleased by his antics, Rohit rushed from his fielding position and told Pant to stop fooling around and take the bails off.
#3 Virat Kohli far from pleased with Pant's first-ball duck in a high-pressure run-chase, 3rd ODI vs South Africa in 2022
The wicketkeeper-batter had a mixed tour of South Africa earlier this year. His inconsistency was on show as he registered two ducks, while also amassing a magnificent century in the third Test.
After losing the Test series by a 2-1 margin, the teams competed in three ODIs. In the final contest of the tour, India were playing for pride after being 2-0 down in the rubber.
Chasing a challenging 288-run target in Cape Town, the Men in Blue were placed at 112-1 at one stage. The left-handed batter came into bat at No. 4 following KL Rahul's dismissal. The situation demanded a conscious approach with eight wickets still remaining.
Virat Kohli gave a stare to Rishabh Pant after he got out https://t.co/1zS6DABSw8
However, in typical Pant-fashion, he went for a wild shot off the very first delivery. The chance off the outside edge was safely taken by the South African wicketkeeper, sending India into deeper trouble.
The youngster's awful decision-making drew a cold stare from Virat Kohli across the other end of the pitch.
Pant's dismissal had a huge impact as the heroics of the former India captain and Deepak Chahar were not enough. The visitors fell short by four runs and suffered a whitewash in the series.
Also Read: Rishabh Pant's top 5 one-handed sixes