"Have no right to criticize": Parthiv Patel defends Rishabh Pant amid shot selection criticism
Published - 28 Dec 2024, 11:34 AM | Updated - 28 Dec 2024, 11:34 PM
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Former India National Cricket Team player Parthiv Patel has come out in favor of Rishabh Pant after his dismissal in the ongoing fourth Test against Australia. He said that if people love keeper-batter's unorthodox shots then they shouldn't complain when he fails.
India National Cricket Team batter Rishabh Pant has come under the firing line for the way he got out in the ongoing fourth Test against the Australia National Cricket Team. The Boxing-day Test between the teams is taking place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.
Pant started the proceedings on Day 3 as a lot of hopes were reliant on him, especially with India losing 5 wickets on Day 2. The keeper-batter played some magnificent strokes in his innings but fell while playing a false shot against Scott Boland after doing all the hard work.
Scott Boland went round the wicket and bowled a full ball around off. Rishabh Pant crouched low and attempted the lap scoop. He got a top edge, and the ball flew down to the third man, where the ball was safely pouched by Nathan Lyon, and all his hard work of the first 45-50 minutes went in vain.
Pant, who scored 28 runs, was criticized a lot by many fans and experts for not understanding the situation of The game. However, amid all the flak, Parthiv Patel has backed the keeper-batter and has voiced his opinion on the same.
When Rishabh Pant stepped out and hit a four on the first ball in Adelaide, we were all clapping - Parthiv Patel
Parthiv Patel pointed out some people are criticizing Pant, who applauded him when he stepped out and hit a four on the first ball in Adelaide. While stressing that the keeper-batter bats in the same way, he said that although the situation was not demanding the shot, the keeper-batter has found success similarly. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he said:
"There are two things about it. When Rishabh Pant stepped out and hit a four on the first ball in Adelaide, we were all clapping. We saw a reverse scoop and similar shots. I believe that those who have praised Rishabh Pant's approach, have no right to criticise this shot because he bats like this.
So whenever he gets out, he will look like this. People will ask questions like, what was the situation? I agree that the situation was not demanding such a shot. But this is Rishabh Pant's style. He plays like this. You will have to analyse this. How can you analyse this? How successful is he ?
"How many matches did he win with this approach? Or how much did he bring us out of the game with this approach? If they are consistently getting out like this, and the team is suffering, then you can talk about this."
Only after a big sample size can you analyze this - Parthiv Patel on Pant's dismissal
Parthiv Patel said that the criticism would've been fair only if he had failed earlier, stressing that people need to analyze big sample sizes before saying anything.
"Otherwise, in today's shot, the situation was not demanding. You were praising Rishabh Pant's style. Who plays a fast bowler like this and a reverse sweep and executes it. Only after a big sample size can you analyze this."
He was trying to put him under pressure - Parthiv Patel on Rishabh Pant's dismissal
Parthiv Patel added that if Rishabh is getting criticism for getting out the way he got out then he shouldn't be praised for such kind of shots.
He also feels that pressure was mounting on Ravindra Jadeja and Pant because of the consistency of Australian bowlers. He stressed that the keeper-batter played that shot because he wanted to put pressure on the opposition. He added:
"He plays like this. I am saying this again. If we have to criticize this shot again, then whenever Rishabh Pant plays such shots, we should not praise those shots. I am putting this shot aside. You talked about Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja being restless. That was visible You could see that confusion in the singles. That was mostly because of consistent bowling by Australia's bowlers. They were trying to do a strike rotation.
"There was no surety in the calling and running between. You could see that confusion in the wicket 2-3 times. But that was happening because Australia's bowlers were consistently playing the game. As far as Pant's shot is concerned, that shot was played because the ball was getting bowled at the same place. He was trying to put him under pressure."
