Former India wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik slammed Rishabh Pant for his unorthodox approach during the crucial time of play in the first session of Day 4 of the first Test match against England at Yorkshire Cricket Ground in Leeds, England.
The southpaw was looking to smash the ball after a testing spell by England pacers. Pant came to bat early on Day 4 as Shubman Gill got out early by chopping one into the stumps off Brydon Carse's bowling in the first over.
After Gill's wicket, the England bowlers were able to keep Pant in check by keeping things tight from around the wicket. He was stuck on his body many times and was even heard saying that playing with discipline is making him uncomfortable. After getting a blow, Pant smashed Woakes down the track to score a boundary.
During Brydon Carse's next over, Pant tried a wild slog sweep, but he was unable to connect the ball well and could only top edge it. The ball lobbed up in the air behind the stumps, and because of windy conditions, it landed in no man's land, and the batter got four runs.
Pant's reaction after the shot suggested that he was going to get caught,t but he got lucky. Despite that, he continued to take risks, going for his patented scoop and falling over in trademark fashion. There was no connection as England issued a massive appeal. Ben Stokes opted for a review, but ball tracking showed that the impact was outside the line. Dinesh Karthik slammed the southpaw for his shot selection during the crucial time of the clash against England.
"Considering the conditions, the situation of the game, I don't think it was a percentage shot. I know he got the result, but the odds were definitely not stacked in his favor. Playing a slog sweep to a bowler bowling 130 clicks, 140 in fact, does not make sense to me," Dinesh Karthik said on air.
"Whatever Rishabh Pant is doing is not working, if I was KL Rahul, all I would tell him right now is to play the way we want instead of telling him be careful or don't play this shot, I don't think those messages sit with him," he added.
Coming back to the match, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are currently stitching a partnership where KL Rahul has smashed his half century and Rishabh Pant scored 27 runs.