Gautam Gambhir Unhappy With Team Management's Treatment To Rishabh Pant

Team India’s wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has failed to grab his opportunities that have come his way recently. The management has also reminded Pant to buckle up to retain his place in the playing XI. But former cricketer Gautam Gambhir feels the management has been too harsh of the young cricketer.

Pant has been making the headlines since his heroics in the U19 World Cup. Many tipped him as the successor of MS Dhoni and soon after, made his place in the playing XI. While Rishabh Pant has left his mark in the Test cricket but has failed to leave an impression in the limited-overs.

More so, the Delhi-born cricketer has struggled to show maturity since the World Cup. He has failed to cash in on the opportunity and has thrown away his wickets in crucial situations. Ahead of the South Africa series, head coach Ravi Shastri came down hard on Rishabh Pant asking him to buckle up.

Read More: Ajit Agarkar Asks To Stop Putting Pressure On Rishabh Pant

But Gautam Gambhir, in his column on Times of India, wrote that he is unhappy to see the treatment meted out to Pant by the management. The cricketer-turned-politician also wrote that this is not the ideal way to handle a young cricketer.

“Personally, I have always backed Sanju Samson ahead of Rishabh for wicketkeeper batsman’s role but it is disappointing to see the team management using words like “from fearless to careless”, “wrap on Rishbah’s knuckles” and “need for a backup of Rishabh”. This is no way to handle a young human resource. Everyone wants him to play “sensible” cricket,” he wrote in his column for TOI.

Rishabh Pant will have one more opportunity in the third and the final T20I against South Africa on September 22 (Sunday) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Pant will hope to make full use of the opportunity and settle all the debates surrounding his place in the team.