Ravi Shastri in No Mood to Overlook Rishabh Pant’s Recklessness

Even after giving some horrific performances in the recent series, the Indian management has backed Rishabh Pant as the number one wicketkeeper in the side for the South Africa series.

In the recent West Indies series, the dasher was chosen as the number 1 wicketkeeper in both ODI and T20 series, but the poor shot selection and string of low scores didn’t do any good to his shaky career.

Despite a fifty in the final T20, he faced severe criticism from all corners. While the management has persisted with Delhi Batsman for the South Africa series, head coach Ravi Shastri is in no mood to overlook his reckless shots anymore.

The alarming signal is that these all criticism have no echoing in Ravi Shastri ears. The senior coach has now officially issued a warning to the Delhi batter, that if he didn’t bat smartly in the upcoming matches against South Africa, the exit doors will be shown to him.

Shastri told Star Sports.“We’ll let him be but at times when you see a shot, like the first ball dismissal in Trinidad, if he repeats that, then he will be told. There will be a rap on the knuckles, talent or no talent,”

“As simple as that. Because you are letting the team down, forget letting yourselves down. In a situation where you have the captain at the other end, a target to chase, the need of the hour is sensible cricket,” he added.

However, Shastri still looks impressed with Pant aggressive style of play and even after severe criticism he insisted Pant to follow the game with the same approach, but with more application and the need to read the game situation. He wants Pant to take up the challenge and deliver the goods.

“No one will even think of changing his style. Like Virat said, reading the situation, match-awareness and shot-selection become crucial. If he can fathom that, he could be unstoppable. It could take one game, it could take four games. He has played so much IPL cricket, he will learn. It’s time now for him to step up and show how devastating he can be,” Shastri said with captain Virat Kohli by his side.

India are currently playing three-match T20 series against South Africa. The first match got washed out due to rain while the second T-20 will be played on Wednesday.