"Come on Pat, hit some sixes" - 3 instances when Rishabh Pant sledged his Delhi Capitals teammates
Rishabh Pant made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2017. The young keeper-batter has since then established himself as an internal part of the side on the back of consistent performances.
He was appointed captain by the team management last year and led the side to the playoffs of the cash-rich league.
A number of his DC players have lauded the talented youngster for the maturity he has shown during his short stint as skipper of the franchise. That said, Pant hasn't shied away from sledging his IPL teammates whenever he has had an opportunity.
Here, we take a look at three such occasions where Rishabh Pant sledged his DC teammates during a match:
#1 Rishabh Pant and Pat Cummins
The incident took place during India's tour of Australia in 2018. Pat Cummins was batting on Day 5 of the Test series opener in Adelaide when Rishabh Pant tried to get under his skin with his chatter.
Cummins was tasked with building a partnership with skipper Tim Paine, as the Aussies had lost six wickets for 161 runs while chasing a stiff total of 323. The lower-order batter was blocking most of the deliveries in a bid to hang in there during the critical juncture.
Pant made it tougher for Cummins with his comments from behind the stumps. The gloveman pointed out how the pacer wasn't able to put the loose balls away. He further suggested that it won't be easy to survive against the Indian bowlers.
He was caught on the stump mic saying:
"Come on, come on, Patty, it's not easy to play here, man!"
"Come on...it's not easy! It's not easy to survive here."
Stump mic on 🔊
It’s cricket like never before, no commentary in the whole over 😮
#AUSvIND #foxcricket https://t.co/8R2nwVMa9W
The contest proved to be a thrilling one as both sides fought hard on the final day of the fixture. India eventually managed to secure a stunning 31-run victory to go 1-0 up in the four-match series.
Notably, both Pant and Cummins were part of the Delhi-based team in 2017. The pacer was released at the end of the season and now plays for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
#2 Rishabh Pant and Rovman Powell
India and West Indies battled it out in a five-match T20I series in July and August this year. During the fourth fixture in Florida, West Indies batter Rovman Powell tried to play an outrageous shot off the bowling of Axar Patel.
Pant questioned the swashbuckler for the shot selection. Furthermore, he advised Axar to continue bowling the way he was. The batter ultimately fell into the trap and was dismissed soon after.
The left-armer, who had been bowling wide outside the off-stump, surprised Powell with a full toss that was angling into his body. The power-hitter's eyes lit up upon seeing the delivery as he tried to clear the ropes.
The Windies batter perished while trying to do so as he hit it straight to Deepak Hooda stationed at the long-on boundary.
Pant was captured on the stump mic saying:
"What kind of a shot was that?""
Notably, Powell was signed by the Delhi franchise for ₹2.80 crore at the IPL auction earlier this year. He mustered 250 runs from 14 games in his maiden season and had a fantastic strike rate of 149.70 to his name.
#3 Rishabh Pant and Sam Billings
Sam Billings played for DC in the 2021 edition of the IPL. Rishabh Pant was seen having a go at the English cricketer during a net session.
During a practice session, Billings was surprised with the ball spinning a lot off the pitch. Pant, who was behind the stumps, sledged the right-handed batter, suggesting that he wasn't able to take on the bowlers.
Pant was captured saying:
"Bowled! Someone is not hitting."
.@RishabhPant17 can't resist himself behind the stumps, even during practice 🎙️😆
#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2021 #DCAllAccess @SamBillings @OctaFX https://t.co/yQEV3bXB7j
Pant was appointed the stand-in captain for DC ahead of this particular season, with regular captain Shreyas Iyer ruled out due to injury. The franchise continued with Pant as their skipper even after Iyer's return in the second phase of the edition. The southpaw was appointed the full-time skipper of the side ahead of IPL 2022.
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