Rishabh Pant looks dejected as he walks off after being caught by Australia's Nathan Lyon off the bowling of Scott Boland James
Credit: Ross/AAP Image via Reuters
Melbourne: Rishabh Pant’s dismissal in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test reignited the debate about his temperament and shot selection in crucial moments. While his immense talent is unquestionable, his tendency to throw away his wicket in high-pressure situations continues to frustrate fans and experts alike.
Pant’s first-innings mistake was costly, but it was hoped he would show greater maturity in the second innings. For a significant period, he did just that, helping stabilise India alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal after a precarious start. Their partnership was a testament to how Pant can adapt his game when the situation demands it. However, his reckless shot against Travis Head’s part-time spin undid all the hard work, exposing India to a collapse.
The shot was particularly egregious because it came against a part-time bowler, outside off-stump, and with the team still not entirely out of danger. For a senior player, and someone expected to anchor the innings in challenging circumstances, this kind of lapse in judgment is unacceptable.
Without trying to be harsh on the southpaw, skipper Rohit Sharma said Pant needed to reflect on his game and figure out the right way to play.
"Rishabh Pant, obviously, needs to understand what is required from himself," said Rohit Sharma when asked about Pant's choice of shot and timing. "More than any one of us telling him, you know, it's about him understanding and figuring out what is the right way to go about it."
Rohit appeared to be in a dilemma as to how to explain to Pant what he needs to do and when he needs to do as the wicketkeeper-batter has been successful with a similar approach.
"He has had a lot of success doing what he does. So as a captain, there is a kind of mixed reaction to that. Sometimes you want to back that thought of him playing the way he plays. And sometimes when things don't look good, it frustrates everyone.
"That's the reality. It's the success and the failure. There needs to be a balance about it. And as a captain, it's very hard to have a conversation when it has given him a lot of success as well. But it's about him figuring out what is the right way to do things," he offered.
Rohit continued: "It's about the situation as well. Certain situations of the game where if there is a risk percentage, do you want to take that risk, do you want to let the opposition come back into the game? Those are the things he needs to figure out himself. See, I have known Rishabh for a very long time and I understand his cricket as well."
While Pant is celebrated for his fearless batting, there’s a fine line between aggression and recklessness and needs to balance his natural instincts with a sense of responsibility.
"There is no way I can say that I've not had a chat with him or he doesn't understand what the team expects," Rohit pointed out. "He understands that. But the things that he does give him results as well. So it's just that fine line between telling him not to do those things or telling him to do those things."