Former India batter Mohammad Kaif questioned star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s shot selection after he threw away his wicket in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Pant once again failed to convert his start into a big score as he was dismissed for 39 off 62 balls on Day 2 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. In the 81st over, Pant charged down the track looking to attack, but the ball hit the bottom of his bat, and he failed to time the shot, resulting in a catch at mid-off.
Kaif questioned Pant’s “common sense”, as his dismissal came in the same over that Sri Lanka opted for the new ball, saying he should have seen off the new cherry for a few overs before taking on the bowlers.
“I have no complaints about the way Rishabh Pant got out,” Kaif said on Sony Sports. “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,” he added.
Kaif added that other batters display better “cricketing logic” than the Indian wicketkeeper.
“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,” said Kaif.
Pant was dismissed by Keshara Nuwantha, who ended the second day with expensive figrues of 3/175.
Resuming from 288/2, India lost Pant for 39 and KL Rahul for 82 before Devdutt Padikkal was dismissed for an impressive 167.
Dhruv Jurel then scored an impressive 51, while Manav Suthar made 24, but Sri Lanka fought back strongly in the final session. Prabath Jayasuriya was the pick of the bowlers with 4/109