Rishabh Pant needs to increase his maturity level: Danish Kaneria

Team India could not salvage pride as they lost the dead-rubber third ODI against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town on Sunday. Despite late heroics from Deepak Chahar, it was a case of so near yet so far for India as they lost by just four runs. After India’s whitewash in the just-concluded One Day International series, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has criticized wicketkeeper batter, Rishabh Pant, for needlessly throwing away his wicket during a crunch situation.

The middle-order batter had come out to the middle after the fall of Shikhar Dhawan’s wicket in the 23rd over. However, he decided to make a statement off the very first delivery that he faced by trying to attempt a big shot off Andile Phehlukwayo and unfortunately, he mistimed it and the ball went straight into the hands of Sisanda Magala at deep-cover.

“I am very disappointed with Pant. He was sent two down when they had proper batsmen in Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. There’s a difference between a wicketkeeper-batsman and a proper batsman. When a team relies on you, you must put your head down. He stepped out to Phehlukwayo on the very first ball. I mean there is no sense of responsibility.

“A wicket has just fallen and your ex-captain is at the other end. He should have built a partnership. It was a poor batting display. He was so disappointing”, said Kaneria while interacting on his official YouTube channel.

You got to be more responsible, says Kaneria on Pant

At the same time, the former spinner also mentioned that the southpaw must improve his maturity level after he failed to utilize a very big opportunity just after having scored a quickfire 71-ball 85 in the previous game.

“Even the commentators were very disappointed with the way he gave away his wicket. He played well throughout the series and he scored runs. He’s a big player. For him to not utilize a big opportunity shows he needs to increase his maturity level. When you play at the international level and you play for your country, you have got to be more responsible,” he added.

As a gutted Pant walked back to the pavilion, Virat Kohli was seen staring angrily at the stumper from the non-strikers’ end.