Former Indian cricketer and presenter Mohammad Kaif has slammed the keeper-batter Rishabh Pant for lack of common sense in his shot-making in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Delving into the details, Pant lost his wicket just four balls after the hosts took the second new ball on Day 2. Debutant spinner Keshara Nuwantha got Pant into a rash slog, and had him caught at wide long-off for 39 runs.
Speaking exclusively on Sony Sports, Kaif questioned Pant’s “common sense”, as his wicket came in the same over that Sri Lanka took the new ball, adding that the keeper-batter should have seen off the new ball before going for his shots.
“I have no complaints about the way Rishabh Pant got out. He plays like that only, but the complaint is about common sense. It was the first over with the new ball. He jumped three times in that over. Common sense means play the cut shot. See the new ball for five to six overs. This is the Test match tradition. Whoever plays like him also uses common sense,” Kaif said on Sony Sports.
“I was surprised that he jumped on the first ball (of the over). One needs to calculate a little. Even if a batter is on 150, he also plays out a few balls when the new ball comes. I am cutting a few marks there. He was left way behind in logic and cricketing sense,” Kaif added.
Resuming Day 2 at 288/2, Team India lost Pant for 39 and KL Rahul for 82 before Devdutt Padikkal got out for 167 runs off 230 balls. However, Dhruv Jurel scored an excellent 51. However, Sri Lanka fought back and bundled the visitors for 462.
