DC vs RR: If Ricky Ponting Was There It Wouldn't Have Happened; Rishabh Pant Is Young - Graeme Smith On No-Ball Controversy
Published - 23 Apr 2022, 04:46 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:07 AM
Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith said Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant displayed a lack of leadership in the match against Rajasthan Royals during the controversial no-ball incident.
In a match where Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler scored his third IPL century (116 in 65 balls) this season, the no-ball drama took the gloss off the game. Buttler’s exhilarating hundred powered Rajasthan to 222/2 in the first innings.
Delhi Capitals fuming over the no-ball drama
With 36 runs needed in the final over of the game, Delhi Capitals batter Rovman Powell smashed West Indies teammate Obed McCoy for three sixes to get the equation down to 18 runs off three deliveries.
However, the Delhi Capitals dugout fumed over the waist height full toss on the third ball not being called for no-ball. Pant seemed livid with the umpire’s decision to not check with the third umpire and signalled Powell and Kuldeep Yadav to return back with Amre running into the pitch to have a word with the onfield officials.
Rishabh Pant is young and Ricky Ponting is not there: Graeme Smith
Head coach Ricky Ponting was isolated after a family member tested positive for COVID-19 and thus the Australian missed the match against Rajasthan. Smith said that had Ponting been on the field, the drama wouldn’t have sparked to such extent.
The former Rajasthan Royals batter also expected senior members like David Warner or Pravin Amre to calm down the situation.
“Disappointing behaviour and lack of leadership around really because Rishabh Pant is young and Ricky Ponting is not there and just bad decision making.
“Pravin Amre is an experienced guy and should have seen it better, and I think a little bit of desperation from the Delhi Capitals. The fallouts are going to be big for them and took away the gloss from what was an exciting game,” Smith told Cricket.com.
“Unfortunately, they needed David Warner or the guys that have been around in the international cricket for a bit of time (to control the situation),” he added.
Rajasthan Royals eventually won the match by 15 runs with McCoy escaping a huge embarrassment as he got enough time to recover from those sixes amid the no-ball drama.
