Mark Waugh | David Warner
Mark Waugh. Credit: Getty Images

Former Australian cricketers Mark Waugh and Shane Warne were not impressed with Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant’s constant chatter behind the stumps, urging the southpaw to “zip it” and let the batsmen concentrate.

Pant was as usual chirpy about the proceedings of the match throughout the opening day of the series decider. However, his constant chatter caused a delay in proceedings as he continued to talk even as debutant Washington Sundar was preparing to bowl before the Tea break.

 Rishabh Pant, Mark Waugh
Matthew Wade, Rishabh Pant. Image Credits: Twitter

Australian batsman Matthew Wade refused to take strike unless Rishabh Pant stopped his chatter, leading to Mark Waugh, who was on commentary at the time, to hit back at the Indian stumper.

Waugh said that while it is perfectly fine for a keeper to be chirpy, he should stop when the bowler is about to bowl.

“I don‘t have a problem with the keeper talking but not when the bowler is about to bowl. You’ve got to zip it then,” Mark Waugh said while being on-air for Fox Sports.

The former Australian batsman also called for the umpires to take some control of the situation if the constant chatter leads to a delay in the match-proceedings.

“I think the umpire has got to take some control in these situations. It’s out of the players hands, the umpires have got to control the game out there. If it starts getting too much or it’s holding up play you’ve got to get the standards right out there if you’re umpiring,” Waugh added.

Shane Warne echoed his former teammates’ opinion, stating that wicket-keeper’s like Pant should ‘zip it’ when the bowler gets at the top of his run-up in order to allow the batsman to concentrate.

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>I‘m a bit with you Jun (Waugh) I don’t mind the encouraging and Rishabh Pant has a smile on his face, he’s having a laugh with his teammates around the bat. But if the bowler is starting to come in, that’s the time to just zip it and let the batsman concentrate,” Warne said.

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