Ravi Shastri Downplays Hue & Cry Around Rishabh Pant's Dismissal: 'Let's Calm Down Here, Guys'
Photo : AP
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has said that it is not in every innings that Rishabh Pant attempted a risky shot and got out while doing it and hence the continued criticism around his dismissal in the Melbourne Test needs to stop. Pant's shot selection drew immense criticism from fans and experts alike, with Sunil Gavaskar bashing the former, calling his decision to attack stupid.
Shastri recalled Pant's dismissals in Adelaide, in the second Test of the series, stating that there were ‘2-3’ occasions throughout this series when he received good balls.
With India looking for a stand on the third day of the fourth Test against Australia at the MCG, Pant went across and attempted to scoop Scott Boland to fine leg, but it didn't pay off.
“It's not in every innings he has attempted that shot. Let's look at the way he was dismissed in each innings, he got 2 to 3 really good deliveries. He got a really good delivery that left off the length in Adelaide, there was no way he played an attacking shot," Shastri said while speaking on Star Sports.
“He got another one that left him, he was caught behind. Second innings in Adelaide, the second ball of the day, he gets a good one from Starc and he nicks it. So, let's calm down here, guys. It's not every time he's throwing it away," Shastri added.
The former India head coach said that Pant should play with a bit more maturity. He added that Pant has built a reputation for being an attacking batter, which makes things difficult for him if he continues to attack when the fielders are spread around.
“He had done the hard work. The field had spread out. That's one aspect of his batting that has to change with time to come. He's built up a reputation for himself, he comes to the field, he smashes a boundary and the field spreads," Shastri said.
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