Rishabh Pant has been on an extended poor run of form in limited-overs cricket with many criticising his batting and calling for back-ups for his role as primary wicketkeeping option across formats. And amid the current scenario, he looks likely to lose his position in the playing XI for the upcoming Test match against South Africa with Wriddhiman Saha standing tall as a favourite for the spot. However, head coach Ravi Shastri, on Thursday, said that the team management will back the “world-class” player to the hilt to help him regain his form.
“Pant is different, he is world-class and is a brutal match-winner. Very few around in the world game; I can’t pick five on my hands when it comes to white-ball cricket, T20 cricket. So the patience we will have with him is a lot. All your media reports and all the experts writing (but) Pant is in great space with this Indian team. Experts, they have a job, they can speak. Pant is a special kid and he has already done enough. And he is only going to learn. This team management will back him to the hilt,” said the former Indian all-rounder, who is presently serving his second stint as India’s head coach.
Earlier, even Shastri had rebuked Pant’s “rash” shot selection during crunch situations while pointing out one of his dismissals during the T20I series against West Indies. Shastri later clarified the statement saying, “If someone goofs up, I have to pull them up.”
“Don’t say team management, I spoke about ‘the rap on the knuckles’. If someone goofs up, I have to pull them up. Am i there only to play tabla? But this guy is world-class, this guy can be destructive, can be a destroyer. And we will give him all the support that he needs to prosper in international cricket,” he added.
