Former India batsman and renowned commentator, Aakash Chopra, assessed the struggles of Rishabh Pant during the ongoing IPL in UAE, which have also led to his exclusion from India's limited-overs squad to tour Australia.
Pant hasn't been at his explosive best, scoring 285 runs at an uncharacteristically low strike-rate of just 109.61 while averaging only 28.50 for Delhi Capitals (DC). The disappointing run with the bat, as well as not so great fitness levels, have attracted criticism from various corners.
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Chopra, sticking to what has gone wrong with Pant the middle-order batsman, stressed it's the lack of role clarity and deeper understanding of his own game that have held back Pant.
"Going back to Pant - he comes across as someone who is confused about his role and his responsibilities towards his own game. I’m not talking about what the team or the situation demands of him but just his comfort with his own style of play," Chopra wrote for ESPNcricinfo.
"His last couple of Test matches and this edition of the IPL have brought that uncertainty to the fore. He is blessed with the ability to hit the ball long and hard, but it seems that he is unsure of the right time to do so," he added.
The usually aggressive Pant, Chopra believes, has also battled a mental dilemma where he hasn't been able to correctly identify the moments where he can just simply go on the offensive.
"There have been instances in this IPL where left-arm spinners have come and gone unscathed. The bowlers he wouldn’t allow to settle down in the past have kept him quiet this season because he chose to let the moment pass and wait for a better, more opportune moment."
"Pant was Pant because he could change the tide, but now he’s trying to swim with it and by the time he thinks about changing it, it’s a little too late."
Chopra advised Pant to "clear the cobwebs" and rejuvenate himself, playing the brand of cricket he is known for.
"It’s time for Pant to clear the cobwebs and spend more time with his own game, understanding its nuances," he wrote.
"He is the same player who everyone thought had the X-Factor, he is the same player who was seen as a natural successor to Dhoni, and he is the same player who produced consistent performances at high strike rates in T20 cricket. He is the same player because you don’t lose these skills overnight."
"Pant has entered the second stage of his career. This phase is about understanding and acquiring. The sooner he does that, the better for him and for Indian cricket," Chopra signed off.
