India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant came under fire for his string of poor scores for the national cricket team, particularly in the shortest format of the game.
He hasn’t been able to bring the best out of himself in this format, which has been a worrying sign for him and for the team. The youngster was supposed to pick lessons on the go as he is in the learning phase of his career.
However, in reality, Pant failed to up his ante in the T20I format. He was chosen ahead of Sanju Samson in the second T20I against the Black Caps. The southpaw failed to deliver the goods when he was sent out to bat.
He initially took time to assess the conditions but as the time progressed, he hardly showed any intent to score runs for the team. Pant was dismissed cheaply for just six runs as he was outsmarted by Lockie Ferguson.
Popular commentator Harsha Bhogle questions Rishabh Pant’s role as an opener
Even during the third T20I against New Zealand, Rishabh Pant came out to bat as an opener but once again failed to deliver the goods in the chase at McClean Park in Napier.
The southpaw scored 11 off 5 balls including 2 fours before being dismissed by Tim Southee in the fourth ball of the third over. After his poor dismissal, Harsha Bhogle took to his Twitter handle and questioned Pant’s role as an opener.
“I wonder what kind of player Rishabh Pant wants to be in T20!cricket. Especially, as an opener. If he wants to slog at the top, he will sell his rare skills short,” Harsha Bhogle tweeted. His tweet went viral on the internet.
New Zealand’s playing XI
Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (c), Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson
India’s playing XI
Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya (c), Deepak Hooda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal
I wonder what kind of player Rishabh Pant wants to be in T20!cricket. Especially, as an opener. If he wants to slog at the top, he will sell his rare skills short.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 22, 2022
