All Those Who Criticize Rishabh Pant For His Poor Wicketkeeping Should Now Laud Him For His Match Winning Ability- Ravi Shastri

Head coach of the Indian team, Ravi Shastri takes a dig at all the detractors of Rishabh Pant after the left-hander took India over the line in an epic chase in Brisbane leading India to one of the greatest, and the most memorable Test series victory. For the second time in two tours, Team India has conquered Australia, in Australia.

The ever so boisterous coach, for once, seemed to be short of words in praise of Rishabh Pant. He points out that Pant is their designated keeper in overseas conditions. In India, Wriddhiman Saha takes the gloves because of his superior keeping over the southpaw.

It is no doubt that there is a lot of improvement to be done in Pant’s wicket-keeping. However, as Pant has proved, his batting ability is good enough to compensate for his other weaker skillset. Pant ended the series as India’s highest run-scorer – 3 more than Pujara while playing one match less – and was the Man of the Match at the Gabba.

Ravi Shastri acknowledges that while Pant may not be the best keeper going around, and has dropped a few catches this series, but the coach asks everyone who criticized Pant’s keeping skills now to appreciate the youngster’s batting heroics.

“What do I say about Rishabh Pant. We play him overseas because he is a matchwinner. He has once again shown in this series what kind of a player he is. Sometimes when he does not keep behind the wickets very well then people get after him,” Ravi Shastri told Sony Sports Networks.

Pant could have won us the Sydney game as well: Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri even claims that the 23-year-old could have won India the third Test of the series in Sydney. India needed 407 to win; the match ended in a draw with India 72 runs away. Pant scored a scintillating 97 of 118 balls.

While he was batting, India had hopes of chasing down the mammoth total, however, Pant got out three runs short of his century at the SCG.

“But when he plays like this and wins the match for us, if in Sydney there was one more hour to play for, then we could have won that game as well. I think he has played extremely well in this series,” Ravi Shastri added.

India will host Joe Root’s England for a 4-match Test series. While Saha, who is, unarguably, a better keeper than Pant may come in the side, however, the left-hander has done enough to stay in the eleven purely as a batsman.

Also Read: Every Session We Discovered A New Hero: Sachin Tendulkar Lavishes Praise On Team India After They Crush Australia In Brisbane