Cricket News: What happened to Rishabh Pant in Asia Cup 2022?
As a middle-order batter, Rishabh Pant has always been known for his canny ability to hit good balls for boundaries and the potential damage he can cause to the opposition when coming in good form
Image credit: pia.images.co.uk Rishabh PantHis bizarre shots steal the show, especially one-handed hoicks over the covers against world-class bowlers. Despite making people hooked on his batting skills, he somehow fails to live up to the expectations of cricket fans and experts.
In contrast to his power-hitting capabilities in Test and ODI formats, he struggles to find shots in the shortest format.
His T20 strike rate ranks 19th-lowest among those who have faced at least 1000 balls. His average is also meagre, nearly 23.97, despite having played 58 T20I matches. On the flip side, he averages 43.32, having played 31 test matches.
Looking at his batting in the Asia Cup, while some raised doubts over his batting position, some judged the presence of Dinesh Karthik in the squad has increased his pressure to perform. But the only technical fault that seems prevalent is temperament and not technique. While in Tests, he gets the freedom to decide when to play attacking shots, the essence of time takes away this freedom in T20 format.
Rishabh Pant looks to lose shape on his big hits, especially when the ball is out of his arc. He is an unconventional player and gives meaningful results, but it also has its downside.
Playing three matches in Asia Cup, he contributed just 14, 17, and 20* runs, struggling to keep up with the demand of the game that the top order created. He usually entered the field in 13-15th over and reduced the team's run rate to 5-6 runs per over in contrast to the initial run rate near 10. A rather attacking-natured game of his could only hit with a strike rate of 124.39 in the Asia Cup.
Former left-arm seamer RP Singh said, "Rishabh Pant has disappointed me the most. You should not always look to go over mid-wicket, cow corner regions, you should explore other shots as well. The selectors have invested a lot on Pant but if he will not perform up to the mark, selectors will have to take some tough calls [for the World Cup]."
The need for a left-hander in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja in the middle-order might leave team India with no other option but to include him in the playing XI. However, the heavy criticism he invited during and before the Asia Cup will force selectors to keep his performance under scrutiny.