Rishabh Pant trumps the bowler for a DRS call; turns out to be right

With the DRS (Decision Review System) in force in all three formats of the game, the job of the wicketkeeper is to not just join his teammates for an appeal but to also have a better judgement. More often than not it is the keeper who has the best idea whether the ball hit the batsman in line and in case of an edge as well. Rishabh Pant who is playing his second T20I series as the main wicketkeeper for India is slowly and steadily getting a hang of the DRS.

In the 2nd T20I vs Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Aussies batting first were in a dire situation. The Indian bowling unit pushed them onto the back foot with some really tight bowling. Soon enough half of the team was back in the hut with 62 runs on the board. Their wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey was then out there in the middle and formed the last recognized pair with Ben McDermott.

The Indians were all over them by then and the pressure was building. Kuldeep Yadav who was coming into the game on the back of an impressive performance at the Gabba bowled a leg-spinner to him down the leg-side. Carey who loves to sweep tried to play the shot but missed it. The ball did take some deflection on the way back to the keeper and Yadav thought he had his man.

There was a huge appeal by the Indians but the umpire was unmoved. Kuldeep was certain the ball had taken Carey’s gloves on the way and thus wanted a DRS referral for that. Skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Rohit Sharma approached the scene for a discussion before making the decision. While Kuldeep was sure, Pant realized it wasn’t off the glove or the bat but rather hit the forearm of the batsman. He handed the chainaman the ball and sent him on the way back.

Replays confirmed that it was off the forearm and would’ve been a wasted review had the Indians taken it.

Here is the video of Rishabh Pant making a really good DRS call:

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