IND vs SA: 'Not Fitted Into Any Role': Ajay Jadeja Reveals The Reason Behind Rishabh Pant's Inability To Deliver In T20Is

Star Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has participated in 62 T20 International matches so far, but he is still unable to guarantee his place in the Indian side. He played in just one match last month against Australia, and even that was cut short owing to rain and India choosing to field an extra batter.

When Hardik Pandya was absent from the team for the South Africa series, Pant was given the start. Although he was requested to open in the third game, which is undoubtedly a new position for him to bat at the top level, he was unable to bat in the first two games. 

Lack Of Role Clarity Costing Rishabh Pant: Ajay Jadeja

Pant has only ever opened in four games for India, despite having done so for Delhi and the India U-19 teams in his early career.

Former Indian all-rounder Ajay Jadeja cites the reasons why Rishabh Pant hasn’t been able to perform well in the shortest format for Men in Blue after he was dismissed for 27 from 14 balls against South Africa in Indore during the third T20I. 

The 51-year-old claimed that one of the main causes of the keeper-underwhelming batter’s performance was the lack of clarity about his position in the T20I setup. Dinesh Karthik, who Pant was likened to by the former Indian cricketer, was said to be aware of his precise position within the squad. 

“Because the Indian team has moved on to role-playing acts, and he’s not fitted into any role, that’s where he has lost out. DK played a fabulous knock.

With that role-play that he is doing, it works. If he wasn’t in that role-play business and was batting at No. 4 like in the early part of his career, then, 46 on this surface, how can you throw it away?” 

Rishabh Pant Can Learn From Dinesh Karthik: Ajay Jadeja

Pant, who turned 25 on October 4, can learn a lot from Karthik, who had a similar period for the most of his international career, according to Jadeja, who analysed Pant’s T20I problems. 

“He’s got a mate in DK to learn from. He can ask him, ‘listen, what do I need to do? Is there something I am missing out on? You’ve gone through this. Show me the way.’

No matter how big a fan I am, how long will you persist with him? There is no dearth of talent, and it is just this format. So, it is something that he has to figure out,” Jadeja added. 

During the third T20I, Pant had a fantastic chance to argue his point, but after starting out well, he tossed his wicket. 

“He doesn’t have to go too far, he just has to look at his batting partner. It’s taken Karthik 15 years for the team to start believing and accepting. DK had similar talent. The team kept bringing him back. But if you don’t deliver, the team leaves you out eventually, somewhere.” 

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