'He is slightly overweight and bulky' - Danish Kaneria gets critical on Rishabh Pant's fitness

India’s current white-ball skipper Rishabh Pant has not been able to score runs in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa. Looking at his current form, several former cricketers including Wasim Jaffer and Dale Steyn have already opined that he should be excluded from the playing XI.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has raised questions over Pant’s fitness and said that the left-handed batter is “slightly overweight and bulky”. Kaneria also emphasized the fact that Pant needs to improve his batting style as well, else he could lose his place in the playing XI soon.

Is Rishabh Pant fully fit? questions Danish Kaneria

“I want to talk about Rishabh Pant’s keeping. I have noticed one thing that when a fast bowler is bowling, he doesn’t crouch and sit down. He keeps standing. Maybe because he is slightly overweight and bulky, he can’t come up that quickly, and he doesn’t have that much of time. He just stays bent back and low, he doesn’t sit down properly. I think that shows a little concern over his fitness. Is Rishabh Pant fully fit?” Kaneria said in a video posted on his YouTube channel.

“Rishabh Pant will have to improve his batting style. There is KS Bharat available and I don’t see any wrong in bringing in Wriddhiman Saha. Just give a break to Rishabh Pant,” added the former Pakistan cricketer.

In the current series against South Africa, the left-handed batter has been able to score just 57 runs at an average of 14.25 in four matches. With senior batter Dinesh Karthik performing excellently with the bat, Pant might be feeling the pressure to lose his wicketkeeper spot.

Team India will take on South Africa in the fifth and final T20I match to be played at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on June 19 (Sunday). The series is evenly poised on 2-2 and both teams will be looking to win the final encounter and clinch the series.