Amid the ongoing Sri Lanka versus India Test match in Galle, Cheteshwar Pujara revealed that Rishabh Pant keeps talking and joking behind the stumps even during tense moments.
Not the one to mince his words, Pujara cited that the Indian wicketkeeper’s antics used to irritate him while standing at first slip because he needed total focus to catch edges off fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami.
Notably, Pant is famous for his stump mic gems, which he produces to keep the team's energy high during long, tedious Test match sessions.
"It is very entertaining. If you are in a phase of a game where things are not moving, there's a big partnership going on, but Rishabh Pant, whenever he is around, you have that banter and fun moments. But I used to get irritated at some point. I'll be very honest," Pujara said on Sony Sports Network.
“When the ball was new, I was standing at first slip. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami are bowling. There's very little time if the ball has nicked and I have to catch it. And he will keep talking and asking me questions because he likes to be in that zone. And I want to focus and concentrate, and he will keep irritating me. So I had to tell him, please allow me to focus. If you want to have a chat, you can with other players. But I don't mind chatting in between the ball. But he is a lovely character," he added.
During the third day’s play in Galle, Rishabh Pant was at his hilarious best behind the stumps as he was caught on stump mic motivating Kuldeep Yadav in his inimitable style.
Pant was heard telling the wrist-spinner at one stage that the two Sri Lankan batters playing are easy targets by saying "eating sugar ho jayega," playfully referencing the famous children's nursery rhyme "Johny Johny, Yes Papa... Eating sugar? No papa."
In cricket slang, "eating sugar" implies that taking these wickets will be as simple as a child eating sugar.
"KD, tera hi hain to yeh bhai wicket dono. Bete kha jayega idhar se toh yaar. Eating sugar ho jayega. (KD, both these wickets are yours for the taking, brother! You're going to swallow both from here, mate. Eating sugar will happen)," Pant was heard saying on the stump-mic.
Rishabh Pant also spearheaded India's second innings with an aggressive 66 off 69 balls, powering the visitors to a total of 193 and setting Sri Lanka a daunting target of 372 runs to win the Galle Test.
During his counter-attacking knock, the southpaw smashed 8 fours and 2 sixes, scripting history by becoming the first Indian and the fastest player globally to hit 100 Test sixes. He reached the milestone in just 89 innings and from only 4,918 deliveries, shattering the previous records held by Australian legend Adam Gilchrist (137 innings and 6,578 balls).
