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Daniel Vettori opens up on the lack of fluency in Rishabh Pant’s batting
By SMCS - Nov 22, 2021 3:30 pm
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Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said that swashbuckling Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is yet to discover what suits best for him in the shortest format. As per him, Pant looked not so comfortable with the bat during the New Zealand series. Notably, Pant could manage the scores of 17* and 12* in the first two T20Is before getting out for 4 on Sunday in Kolkata.

Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant

However, when he was asked what is troubling Pant when it comes to his batting in the T20 format, Vettori shared his views during a discussion on ESPNCricinfo: “He hasn’t got his tempo right in T20 cricket. He hasn’t quite understood his role, particularly in this series. Sometimes he is overly cautious, then he is reckless. It doesn’t feel like there is a flow to his game. When you see great T20 batters batting well, it is all about flow and momentum and you just feel a rhythm to it. He hasn’t quite got that yet.”

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Daniel Vettori further added: “I will be surprised if they (team management) don’t talk long and hard about what they expect from him. But, the onus is on Pant to find that right tempo. The reality is, if he doesn’t, they can look elsewhere. They have Ishan Kishan and KL can keep wickets as well in T20. They will give Pant the opportunity to find his rhythm, knowing that they can change pretty quick as well.”

hardik pant
Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant kept the omentum for India

However, before the series against New Zealand, Rishabh Pant registered the scores of 39, 12 and 27* during India’s T20 World Cup 2021 campaign in the UAE as well. Meanwhile, Robin Uthappa has also shared his views on Pant’s inconsistency with the bat. Notably, he won’t be a part of the two-match Test series against New Zealand, which begins in Kanpur on November 25.

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Uthappa elaborated: “Rishabh has been on the road with the Indian team for a couple of years non-stop. He has made himself available to play anything and everything without complaining. To be constantly in a bubble saps you. I am certain that also has an implication on the way he performs on the field. Maybe lack of clarity or mental fatigue, it could be just that as well. He is a high-class player and it’s a matter of time before he comes back and hits the ball the way we know he can. I think he deserves a bit of a break to just switch off from cricket.”