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Rishabh Pant has let the team down on occasions: Ravi Shastri

Rishabh Pant has let the team down: Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli echoes the sentiments saying Pant needs to read the situation better

Rishabh Pant has let the team down: Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli echoes the sentiments saying Pant needs to read the situation better

Dharamsala, September 16: India head coach Ravi Shastri made it clear that Rishabh Pant will be "rapped on the knuckels" if he keeps on playing rash shots like the one he did against the West Indies recently.

Shastri did not mince words as he pointed out that the young wicketkeeper-batsman has let the team down during India's recent tour of the West Indies where he was dismissed first ball in an ODI game.

1. Shastri warns Pant

1. Shastri warns Pant

"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," Shastri was quoted as saying in an interview with Star Sports. "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."

Shastri said Pant has unquestionable talent but if he can sort out his shot-selection and decision-making, he will be unstoppable. "No one will even think of changing his style. Like Virat said, reading the situation, match-awareness and shot-selection becomes crucial. If he can fathom that, he could be unstoppable. It could take one game, it could take four games. He has played so much IPL cricket, he will learn. It's time now for him to step up and show how devastating he can be," Shastri said.

2. Kohli's thoughts about Pant

2. Kohli's thoughts about Pant

"The only expectation from Rishabh is that he read situations well," Kohli said. "We don't expect him to play the way you might be thinking. It is about analysing a situation and dealing with it in your own way."

The captain said he expects a swashbuckling player like Pant to keep it simple "Someone like Rishabh will hit five boundaries in a difficult situation compared to me, who likes to take a singles or twos and get out of it. Everyone has their own game but reading the situation and decision-making is an expectation from everyone in the team, not just Rishabh," Kohli said.

3. How Pant fared during the WI tour

3. How Pant fared during the WI tour

Barring a fifty in the inconsequential third T20I, Pant did not do anything of note in the entire series. And more frustratingly, he showed propensity to throw his wicket away playing rash shots irrespective of the sitiuation the team found itself in. It has invited a lot of criticism of his playing style and several even questions his continued presence in the team.

4. Challenges ahead for Pant

4. Challenges ahead for Pant

The T20I series against South Africa will be followed by the three-match Test series against the same opponents. It will be followed by the home series against Bangladesh in November before India embark on the tour of New Zealand. It will be a stern test for Pant's abilities with all the critcism surrounding him.

Story first published: Tuesday, September 17, 2019, 9:56 [IST]
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