New Delhi: A specialist will be employed to help embattled India cricketer Rishabh Pant improve his wicket-keeping skills, chief selector MSK Prasad said here Monday. Not long ago, Pant had worked under former India keeper Kiran More, seeking to improve his glove-work.
The 22-year-old Delhi cricketer was slammed by fans for spilling a few chances in the third and final ODI against the West Indies in Cuttack, Sunday.
“Pant needs to improve his keeping skills. We will have him work under a specialist wicket-keeping coach,” Prasad told reporters here after the Indian team selection for the limited overs series against Sri Lanka and Australia.
While he has received unflinching backing from the team management, it has come to the conclusion that Pant needs special attention. Pant has also be criticised for his failure to perform consistently at the top level.
Home crowds chanted MS Dhoni’s name when Pant had an ordinary outing behind the wickets in the recently-concluded series against Bangladesh and the West Indies. The wicket-keeper however, found support from some quarters, including the legendary Brian Lara.
“As a 21 (22) year-old, Rishabh Pant has a lot of unnecessary pressure. When I was 21, I did not have that much pressure. I was sitting down on the bench… you know… cleaning Sir Vivian Richards’s boots or doing something… getting ready to play international cricket,” Lara had said.
“I think the burden is unnecessary. He should be allowed to play and allowed to express himself. Don’t feel it’s a do-or-die situation,” Lara added.
Notably, captain Virat Kohli had said it was disrespectful to see the crowd chanting Dhoni’s name instead of cheering for Pant.
Even BCCI president and former skipper Sourav Ganguly has firmly backed Pant. He has said the wicketkeeper-batsman is a ‘superb player’ who would mature slowly.
PTI