He might look careless at times because of his shot selection, but India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant totally understands the value of his wicket and that’s why the team management often asks him to be a bit cautious in his shot selection.
Pant's rash shot in the second innings of Johannesburg Test drew him a lot of flak and the management had a word with him heading into the third Test in Cape Town.
Since then, the southpaw has produced great results, scoring a hundred in the second innings of Newlands Test and then smashing a career-best 85 off 71 balls in the second ODI.
“There are always positive talks that as an individual what I can do. All the strokes are there but how can I play with patience and according to the situation. So a lot of discussions happen," Pant told reporters after the second ODI in Paarl.
“And whatever we discuss, we practise and after that try to implement in the match," he added.
Pant cited that the team management has given him the responsibility to bat at No. 4, to ensure the right-left combination.
“The reason to bat at number four was if a left-hander gets a chance to bat in the middle, then it becomes easy to rotate strike, with the left-right combination, especially in the middle overs when leg-spinners or left-arm spinners bowl.
“…..so that is why the team management felt that a left-handed batter should bat and that is why that role was given to me," he said.
According to Pant, the team is learning from the mistakes and looking to get better with every passing day.
“I think as (from) a batting point of view, we are fine, we are going fine. We are learning from our mistakes and every day as the Indian cricket team we strive to improve our cricket and that is the only thing we are looking forward (to)."
Unfortunately for India, Rishabh Pant's whirlwind half-century went in vain as South Africa chased down India’s 287/6 with seven wickets in hand to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
The third ODI will be played in Cape Town on Sunday (January 23).
(With PTI inputs)
