Rishabh Pant told to concentrate on 'bigger goal and realise there is a team' after reckless play: 'Not just about you'

Hindustan Times

3 hours ago

Heading into Day 4 of the Headingley Test against England, India were hopeful of overnight batters Shubman Gill and KL Rahul giving the side a solid start. However, the hopes were dashed almost instantly as Shubman Gill was bowled by Brydon Carse in the very first over of the day. This resulted in Rishabh Pant walking to the middle. The left-handed batter who scored a century in the first innings was fidgety to start off with as he went for a few aerial shots against the run of play. India Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant asked to look for 'the bigger picture' and realise the importance of putting the team first. (AP)
After Rishabh Pant escaped on two or three occasions, former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik launched a tirade against the India vice-captain, asking Pant to look for the bigger picture and realise the importance of putting the team first.
Off the bowling of Brydon Carse, Rishabh Pant went for a falling sweep shot. However, he was lucky that the wind took the ball out of the fielder's grasp. He also stepped out of the crease on quite a few occasions in looking to hit the ball down the ground.
He even got under the skin of Chris Woakes by pulling out of the batting stride at the last moment. It was then that Dinesh Karthik asked the wicketkeeper-batter to think about KL Rahul as well.
Also Read: IND vs ENG Live Score: KL Rahul reaches 50, but Rishabh Pant living on the edge
"Whatever Rishabh Pant is doing, it's not helping. If I were KL Rahul, all I'd tell Rishabh Pant right now is play the way you want, but our goal is to try and get the team a huge partnership. It could mean get to 200, could mean get to lunch, whatever will work for him. Instead of telling him to be careful or not to play this shot, I don't think those messages sit well with him," said Dinesh Karthik on air.
"It's the language that you want to use. Our bigger goal is to get to 200, 220. And then if he still wants to go ahead and do that, thinking that's the best way to get there, fair enough. It's interesting because I was speaking to Cheteshwar Pujara, and he said that sometimes he gave information that says just be careful, lunch is around the corner, he felt it curbed his instinct and didn't get the best out of Rishabh Pant," he added. 'It's just not about Rishabh Pant'
Dinesh Karthik then also discussed how Rishabh Pant reacts better to bland messages than instructions that ask him to change his gameplay and curb his natural instincts.
"But if he just said things like Chris Woakes is looking to bowl outswing and the odd one is coming back in, just pass very bland information, very straightforward information, but more tactical, it seemed to work for Rishabh Pant because then he found out his way of scoring runs," said Dinesh Karthik.
"And also whatever Rishabh Pant is doing, he's got to understand that it's just not about him. There is a team, there's a bigger goal, but most importantly, there's a partner there, KL Rahul, who's in great rhythm, in a very good zone, and he shouldn't be doing anything to put him away. They need to forge a partnership. He's the vice captain of the Indian team. He knows what that responsibility means to him," he added.
In the first innings, Rishabh Pant was one of the three centurions for India, and this allowed the visitors to post 471 runs on the board. India then gained a six-run lead after they bowled out England for 465.
Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the Indian bowlers as he returned with five wickets.