IND vs SA: Rishabh Pant Went To The Right People At The Right Time, Tried To Stay In The Game - Graeme Smith

Former South African captain Graeme Smith felt that stand-in captain, Rishabh Pant, made the right calls in the first T20I but the bowlers let him down for the most part as South Africa cruised to a 7-wicket victory on Thursday.

Chasing 212, India was in the driver’s seat after Quinton de Kock was dismissed in the 9th over. However, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller went on to stitch an unbeaten match-winning 131-run partnership for the 4th wicket.

Speaking about the match, Smith felt that Pant made the right decisions and tried to utilize his resources properly but it went haywire towards the end.

“You always criticize a captain when you lose. He has to take a lot on his chin. Post his (Pant’s) last game for Delhi Capitals, which was a must-win and he made some tough calls in that match, I was very interested to watch him.”

“But I think tonight, he was very good. He went to the right people at the right time. He tried to stay in the game,” Smith said after the conclusion of the first T20I.

“At times, they won’t work out because your bowlers have to deliver” – Graeme Smith

Despite making the right calls, things didn’t pan out the way Rishabh would have hoped to as his senior-most pacers, Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, conceded 22 runs each off the 17th and 18th over of the chase which effectively killed the run chase.

“When South Africa were under pressure, he went to Harshal Patel and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar). All in all, he made a lot of right decisions. At times, they won’t work out because your bowlers have to deliver; you have to execute.”

“But I think he can look back and say, ‘I made the right decisions at the right time’. I think he can gain some confidence after his outing this evening,” he also added.

Also Read – IND vs SA: It Was A Decision In Your Hands- Zaheer Khan Says Of Rishabh Pant’s Failure To Give Yuzvendra Chahal His Full Quota Of Overs