Former English cricketer Michael Vaughan on Friday (15th July) said that Rishabh Pant overthinks in the white ball cricket. He said that the wicketkeeper batter needs to cause chaos with the bat.
While there’s no doubt about Pant’s ability in red-ball cricket, it’s fair to say that the keeper batter hasn’t found his mojo in the white-ball games. In the recently concluded second ODI against England at the Lord’s, the southpaw yet again failed to score for his team.
After India lost early wickets, many expected Pant to take control of the match and take his team home. But this wasn’t the case as he gave an easy catch to mid-on on a full toss delivery by Brydon Carse.
Pant fell for a five-ball duck to leave India tumbling at 29/3. He was criticised by many for his dismissal and few even made fun of him.
Speaking on Cricbuzz’s YouTube channel, Michael Vaughan advised Pant not to be ‘ultra aggressive’, saying that although he has a license in white-ball cricket, it looks careless in red-ball cricket.
“I would say to Rishabh Pant, don’t be ultra-aggressive. He has got his license to be aggressive in white-ball cricket, but in red-ball cricket it just looks like a careless approach,” Michael Vaughan said.
Vaughan feels that Pant overthinks in white-ball cricket. Calling the keeper batter a game changer, he wants him to go for the ‘course chaos’.
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“And in white ball cricket, it looks like he is almost overthinking it. He is that one player in that space who can win India a game in a space of 15 overs of batting.
“He is such a good player, you just want him to have that freedom. Not to be worried about the shots that he is playing even he is getting out. His job according to me in this Indian team is to go for course chaos,” he said.
Vaughan said the only "way out" for Pant is to be even more aggressive than he's now which will require India giving him more freedom with the bat.
“He has got bat in his hand, go and cause chaos. If you give Rishabh Pant a bat in his hand and give him the freedom to play, then I bet he comes across very successfully in at least three of those matches. And he will completely change the game on his own. He just needs to be even more aggressive, that’s the way out for Rishabh Pant,” he said.
Pant will have to play a big role for his side if India have to fancy their chances of winning the series. He will be seen in action in the series decider against England on Sunday (17th July) in Manchester.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
