Pant falling into outside off-stump trap, not a good sign: Gavaskar

PTI, Jun 18, 2022, 11:56 AM IST

Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has questioned Rishabh Pant’s shot selection, saying it is ”not a good sign” that the Indian stumper is repeatedly falling into the outside the off-stump trap in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa.

Pant, who has scored 740 runs in 47 T20Is at 23.12, has been getting out in almost identical fashion while going for the big-shot wife outside the off-stump. ”He hasn’t learned. He hasn’t learned from his previous three dismissals, Gavaskar said while commentating on Star Sports.

”They throw wide, and he keeps going for it. He can’t throw enough muscle on that. He has got to stop looking to go aerial that far outside the off-stump. ”There is no way he’s going to get enough on it. It has gone to short-third! They all plan it, South African bowlers and Temba Bavuma… just bowl wide outside the off-stump and you will get him.” Pant has scored 29, 5, 6 and 17 in the last four innings.

”10 times, he has been dismissed wide outside off-stump (in T20s in 2022). Some of them would have been called wide if he hadn’t made contact with it. Because he’s so far away, he has to reach out for it. He will never get enough power on it.

”To keep getting out in the same series in the same manner, for a captain of the Indian team, that’s not a good sign,” said Gavaskar.

While he hasn’t fired with the bat, Pant marshalled his resources well to orchestrate India’s revival in the five-match series with back-to-back wins to leave the series tied at 2-2.

After India crushed South Africa by 82 runs in the fourth game, Pant too admitted that there are ”certain areas” in his batting that he needs to improve.

”As an individual, I can look to improve in certain areas. Not too concerned though. Looking to take the positives and looking to improve. Let’s see what happens in Bangalore. Looking forward to giving our 100 percent,” said Pant in the post-match presentation on Friday night.

India will take on South Africa on Sunday in the fifth and final T20I.