IND vs SA 2021–22: Head Coach Rahul Dravid States That Team Management Would Have ‘Conversations’ With Rishabh Pant on Shot Selection After India’s Loss to South Africa in 4th Test
Dravid did nont criticise Pant's aggressive style but instead suggested that the left-hander should have taken some time before he went for playing such a shot. "Sometimes it's just about figuring out what is the right time to maybe attack or maybe play out a slightly difficult period that sets the game up for you or sets the innings up," he said.
India suffered a seven-defeat to South Africa in the second Test and one of the biggest talking points of the loss was Rishabh Pant's careless shot, which led to his dismissal for a duck while his side were attempting to put up a good total on the board. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane had given India a flying start on Day 3 with both scoring fifties and it looked at one point of time that they were running away with the game. But Kagiso Rabada bowled two beautiful deliveries to dismiss both Pujara and Rahane and Pant, who had walked into bat, trying to take on the fast bowler by going down the ground on just the third ball he faced. IND vs SA 2nd Test 2021-22 Day 4 Stat Highlights: Captain Dean Elgar Stars in South Africa's Historic Chase
Instead, he only managed to get an edge behind to South Africa wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne. That increased more pressure on India before they were eventually bundled out for 266, setting a 240-run target. Head coach Rahul Dravid, while speaking to the press after the game, said as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, "We know Rishabh plays positively and he plays in a particular manner and that has got him a little bit of success. But yeah, of course there are times when we're going to have some level of conversations with him around, just a little bit of maybe just selection of the time to play that [shot]."
He further stated that it was about him taking some time before going for such an extravagant shot.
"No one's ever going to tell Rishabh not to be a positive player, not to be an aggressive player, but sometimes it's just a question of picking and choosing the time to do that. I think when you just come in, maybe giving yourself a bit more time might be a little bit more advisable, but look, in the end we know what we're getting with Rishabh - he is a really positive player, he's someone who can change the course of a game very quickly for us, so you naturally won't take that away from him and ask him to become something very different. Sometimes it's just about figuring out what is the right time to maybe attack or maybe play out a slightly difficult period that sets the game up for you or sets the innings up," Dravid added. Caught on Stump Mic: Rishabh Pant Involved in Heated Exchange With Rassie van der Dussen, Indian Batsman Heard Saying 'Shut Up' (Watch Video)
India lost a Test match in Johannesburg for the first time as the series now stands levelled at 1-1 with one match to go. The third Test begins in Cape Town on January 11.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 07, 2022 10:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).