Team India wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant became a subject of criticism with the manner of his dismissal in the Johannesburg Test match against South Africa when he stepped out of his crease against Kagiso Rabada at the start of his innings, only to get caught behind.
Pant, however, made a smashing comeback with a century in the final game of the series in Cape Town and continued his form in the two-match series against Sri Lanka as he became the first Indian gloveman to be adjudged the POTS. Pant scored 185 runs in three innings, including a quickfire 96 in Mohali and 39 (26) and 50 (31) in Bengaluru, which was also the fastest fifty by an Indian player as he broke Kapil Dev’s 39-year old record.
Heaping praise on Pant – the batsman, Rohit said that as a captain he just wants to give freedom to a player like Pant, who has the ability to change a game in a matter of minutes. Rohit conceded that sometimes he will get out cheaply and it will not look good but that’s his style as if he comes off 8/10, he will win the game for his team.
Speaking after the game, Rohit said, “His batting is his batting. We know how he bats and as a team we just want to give him that freedom to bat in the way that he wants to bat. But also keeping in mind certain situations of the game, where the game is going, we have also conveyed that to him, but we want to stick with his game plan as a team. It just seems to get better and get better – his game plans.
“There will be times when you will smash your head and say ‘why did he play that shot’ but again we need to be ready to accept that with him when he bats. And he is somebody who can change the game in 40 minutes,” he further added.
However, the 24-year old won Rohit’s heart not with the bat but with his glovework. Rohit said that this was the best he has seen Pant keep wickets and has only gotten better every time he plays for India now.
“And the most significant factor of his in this series was his keeping. His keeping was best that I have seen. He kept well when England came last year and he seems to get better every time he keeps wickets for India, so that is something that I have been very impressed with,” the 34-year old said.
India with a 2-0 victory moved one place up in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table as their next Test assignment would be the solitary game against England at Edgbaston in July.
