Ravi Shastri Takes a Dig at the Shot Selection of Rishabh Pant

Ravi Shastri recently criticised Rishabh Pant, saying that he will be ‘rapped in the knuckles’ soon. He was mostly referring to Pant’s rash shots against West Indies in the recently-concluded series.

“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,” Shastri was quoted as saying in an interview with Star Sports.

Shastri further added that Pant’s reckless batting let the team down. He needs to play “sensible cricket” when he has to chase a target and captain with him at the other end. Shastri even said Pant has immense talent but if he can select his shot-selection and decision-making, he will be unstoppable.

However, Shastri added that no one told him to change his style. It’s just he has to play according to the situation and chose the shots accordingly.

“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 further added.

Virat Kohli agreed, saying that he wanted Rishabh Pant to play according to the situation’

“The only expectation from Rishabh is that he read situations well,” Kohli said. “We don’t expect him to play the way you might be thinking. It is about analysing a situation and dealing with it in your own way.”

He said that Pant is expected to keep the things simple.

“Someone like Rishabh will hit five boundaries in a difficult situation compared to me, who likes to take a singles or twos and get out of it. Everyone has their own game but reading the situation and decision-making is an expectation from everyone in the team, not just Rishabh,” Kohli concluded.