Former India wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia has come out with some crucial suggestions for the under-fire stumper Rishabh Pant, as the youngster has been constantly criticized by the cricket experts and the fans for his continuous failure both bat and gloves on the field.

Mongia, who played 44 Tests and 140 ODIs for India, advised Pant to focus on his basics and play as many matches as possible in order to improve his keeping skills to avoid “minor hiccups” in match situations as well as cement his place in the national team.

As per reports in PTI, Mongia said: “Still there is a long way to go. He (Pant) is very talented. Keep practicing, keep playing all the matches and whatever opportunities that you get. (Wicket) keeping is one thing where you need to keep playing matches and you can’t do much in practice, there are hardly balls coming when you are keeping in nets.”

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The Baroda-based former cricketer continued, “When you are keeping in the nets, keep as if you are playing in the match, these minor hiccups will come but he needs to make sure that he improves and works on it. And lesser the mistakes a keeper makes, the better he becomes. He gives more confidence to the bowler and that is what he has to do.”

Meanwhile, the young wicket-keeper batsman has been given chances again and again despite his failure as the national selectors want to give a longer rope to Pant, but Mongia feels there are a lot of contenders for the role so the Delhi has to prove his case to play for his country.

He further explained, “There are few contenders and there is no doubt. He (Pant) has to pull up his socks as far as keeping and batting is concerned. It is up to the selectors and the team management on how long they want to give somebody a long rope. But yes, enough opportunities have to be given to every player to make his mark. After that, if he is not able to sustain, then probably go ahead with the second choice. They (Ishan Kishan, KS Bharat) are all young guys, still, a lot to be desired. If you compare, the real test starts when you start keeping in the subcontinent in Test matches.”

Mongia also feels that Test cricket is a real test for wicket-keepers while picking Wriddhiman Saha as one of the best keepers in the world in the longest format of the game.

He added: “(Keeping in) ODIs and T20s are really not that testings as hardly the ball comes. But Test matches are a real test for the keepers, the more you play, the more you get an experience like Wriddhiman Saha. I think he (Saha) is one of the best right now. He has made a strong comeback and done well. But yes keeping is a thankless job and they all are good young promising keepers.”

He also commented on the concept of day-night Tests, Mongia said: “See I am a bit of a traditional person. I am not very much into day-night cricket, because it will be totally different when you play in the afternoon and it will be totally different in the night.”

Mongia signed off by saying, “But it all depends on when you start. I still believe as an old cricketer I would like to play a Test match in the day time and that’s how it should be played.”

(With PTI Inputs)