Former India cricketer Madan Lal was not happy with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s shot selection in the second innings of the third Test against South Africa at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Despite calling the 24-year-old a “match-winner”, Madan Lal said the Pant “should be given a break”.
The wicketkeeper-batter’s aggressive approach has won India some important games in the past but the same approach saw him being dismissed for a duck when he decided to go for a rash shot in the second innings despite India being in a spot of bother.
His dismissal drew a lot of criticism with several current and former cricketers, including legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar, slamming him for the needless shot.
“He should be given a break. You have someone like Wriddhiman Saha, who is a sensible batter, and a very good wicketkeeper. But Pant has to decide how he wants to bat in Test cricket. If there is some doubt in his mind, it is better to give him a break. He is a match-winning player, but you cannot bat like this. You have to bat for the team and not for yourself,” Lal said on Aaj Tak.
Trailing 0-1 in the three-match series, South Africa chased down a tricky target of 240 with relative ease to win the second Test by 7 wickets.
The series is now evenly-poised ahead of the decider at the Newlands, starting January 11.
