The veteran Indian opener, Shikhar Dhawan left his fans in splits during a talk show when he narrated an incident about a picture with the young wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant that went viral recently. Dhawan appeared on India TV’s Aap Ki Adaalat and was asked about a photo of Pant sitting on his lap.

The picture was taken during India’s T20I series against South India, soon become a meme material and became another reason to criticize Pant for his underwhelming performances and poor shot selection.

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Recalling the incident, Dhawan said, “He just came and sat on my lap. I told him ‘Rishabh, get up, someone will click a photo. I don’t love guys that much that I’ll make them sit on my lap. But he is 21-22 years, and he doesn’t listen. So he sat on my lap and said ‘I will sit here only’. So I said ‘Sit, what can I do?’ He is young and cheerful like most guys his age.”

Pant has been going through a rough patch as he failed to perform as per the expectations against South Africa in the T20I series. But Dhawan feels that his fellow southpaw can become a force to reckon with in future. 

When asked if Pant needed to focus more on his batting, Dhawan said, “He is completely focused and and working very hard. Sometimes there is just a situation where you can’t perform. But he is learning a lot from his journey. I am sure he will learn a lot. A player like him should be backed.”

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Shikhar recently got his form back after a disappointing tour of West Indies. In the second T20I against South Africa, he helped India’s chase with a fluent 31-ball 40. In the third match, he was the top-scorer for the Men in Blue with a 25-ball 36 on a pitch where all his compatriots struggled to make an impact with the willow.