'He is a great player not scoring enough runs & that's the crux of it.'
One of the heroes of India's historic 2020-2021 series triumph in Australia, Rishabh Pant has struggled to live up to expectations in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
The wicketkeeper-batter has failed to convert promising starts into big scores, often falling to reckless shots. In four Tests, he has scored 154 runs at an average of 22, without a single half-century. In his seven innings in the series, he has dismissed twice in the 30s and three times in the 20s.
Former India player Sanjay Manjrekar said Pant should face criticism for his lacklustre performances with the bat.
'Pant should be criticised only for his failures, rather than how he fails. He averages 42 in Tests with at least 3 great inngs, ever played by an Indian! In 42 tests he has 6 hundreds & 7 nineties. He is a great player not scoring enough runs & that's the crux of it,' Manjrekar tweeted.
Pant's dismissals have drawn sharp criticism, including from batting great Sunil Gavaskar who lambasted the batter for his rash shot in the first innings of the fourth Test in Melbourne.
'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' Gavaskar had exclaimed during the live broadcast.
'You have two fielders there, you still go for that shot. You have missed the previous shot, and look where you have been caught. You have been caught at deep third man. That is throwing away your wicket.
'Not in the situation that India was. You have to understand the situation as well. You cannot say that that's your natural game. I'm sorry, that is not your natural game. That is a stupid shot that is letting your team down badly.'
'He should not be going in that dressing room. He should be going to the other dressing room.'
In the second innings in Melbourne, with India playing for a draw, Pant attempted a rash lofted shot off part-time spinner Travis Head, only to be caught at long-on for 30. His dismissal triggered a collapse, as India lost seven wickets in the final session on Day 5 to suffer a 184-run defeat.
Pant will now aim for redemption in the must-win fifth Test in Sydney. He boasts a strong record in Australia, with 778 runs in 11 Tests at an average of 45. His contributions were pivotal in India's 2020-2021 series victory, including his match-winning 89 not out in Brisbane and a valiant 97 to help India draw the Sydney Test.
This year, in nine Tests since his return from a serious car crash in 2022, he has made 576 runs at an average of 36, with a century and three fifties.
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