India’s star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been drawing flak from former cricketers over his shot selection after his manner of dismissal in the Johannesburg Test. Amidst heavy criticism and a slump in form, India Test skipper Virat Kohli revealed that he conversation with Pant ahead of the final Cape Town Test. Kohli also recalled former Indian skipper MS Dhoni’s advice which stuck with him over the years.
“Had a conversation with Rishabh in the practice. He has to take responsibility. We all have made mistakes in our careers. One has to realise his own mistake and improve so that it doesn’t repeat,” Kohli told the reporters in the pre-match press conference on Monday (January 10).
Pant got out for a three-ball duck in the second innings of Johannesburg Test trying to take on Kagiso Rabada by charging down the wicket. He was also riled up by some chatter with short leg fielder Rassie van der Dussen.
While talking about Pant’s shot selection, Kohli talked about Dhoni’s golden advice about not repeating mistakes as he said, “MS Dhoni once told me that there should be a gap of at least 7-9 months between repeating a mistake then only you can have a long career. This advice really stuck with me.”
In his last 13 innings, Pant has scored 250 runs at an unimpressive average of 19.23. During this period, he has just one half-century to his name. The southpaw did not play in the two-Test home series against New Zealand as he was rested after the T20 World Cup 2021. His inconsistency has contributed to the already inconsistent Indian middle-order in the red-ball format.
On the other hand, Kohli has not been in best of forms either with two century-less years across formats. Also, his shot selection was under scrutiny as well. Before getting ruled out of Johannesburg due to spasm in upper back, Kohli registered scores of 37 and 18 in the first Test. On both occasions, Kohli got out chasing deliveries outside off stump. Some former cricketers have also advised the 33-year-old to take a leaf out of Sachin Tendulkar’s book as the latter scored 241 against Australia without playing a single cover drive.
