"Calm down": Ravi Shastri defends Rishabh Pant amid 'stupid' criticism from Sunil Gavaskar

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri defended Rishabh Pant amid criticism over his dismissal on Day 3 of the fourth Test match against Australia in Melbourne. Ravi Shastri stated that it is not every time Rishabh Pant has been dismissed while playing an aggressive shot during the ongoing Test series.

Pant was dismissed for 28 off 39 balls in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test on Saturday, December 28. The left-handed batter's dismissal came when India needed him the most. His reckless shot drew immense criticism from fans and experts alike, with former captain Sunil Gavaskar calling it stupid.

It's Not in Every Innings Rishabh Pant Has Attempted That Shot - Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri pointed out that not every dismissal of Rishabh Pant was due to his attacking shots. He recalled ‘2-3’ occasions in the series where Pant was dismissed by good deliveries. Shastri emphasized that Pant didn't make a mistake but was instead outplayed by good balls.

“It's not in every innings he has attempted that shot. Let's look at the way he was dismissed in each innings, he got 2-3 really good deliveries. He got a really good delivery that left off the length in Adelaide, there was no way he played an attacking shot,” Shastri told Star Sports.

“He got another one that left him, he was caught behind. Second innings in Adelaide, secodn ball of the day, he gets a good one from Starc and he nicks it. So, let's calm down here, guys. It's not every time he's throwing it away. He got some good balls as well,” he added.

Rishabh Pant Had Done the Hard Work - Ravi Shastri

The former India all-rounder advised Pant to focus on playing more strategically instead of always attempting aggressive shots. Shastri said that Pant should focus on taking singles with the field spread out after doing the hard work.

“He had done the hard work. The field had spread out. That's one aspect of his batting that has to change with time to come. He's built up a reputation for himself, he comes to field, he smashes a boundary and the field spreads. That's the time when maturity should come in, knock the ball around and take singles,” said Shastri.

"That was a high-risk shot. There was no doubt about that. The field was set, two fielders on the boundary pretty fine, a fly slip and a fine leg as well. Scott Boland was looking to ball up. It didn't come off the face of the blade, Rishabh backs himself to get the face of the blade."

“If he had got that, it would've been a six. He was looking to clear the field, that's his instinct and that's the way he plays. You must remember that there are 1-2 players who take the game away.”

Rishabh Pant's Dismissal Puts India in Challenging Position on Day 3

India was reduced to 191-6 after Pant's dismissal. The visitors then lost Ravindra Jadeja, leaving the team in a difficult position. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar helped the team avoid the follow-on.

Sundar, who scored 50, was dismissed by Lyon, breaking the 127-run partnership. Reddy was on 99 when Jasprit Bumrah was dismissed for a duck, but he reached the milestone in the next over. The Men in Blue were at 358/9 at stumps, still trailing by 116 runs. Nitish Kumar Reddy (105*) and Siraj (2*) were unbeaten.

Also read: "That's crazy": Rishabh Pant torn apart by Ex-Australia star for ‘reckless batting’ at MCG