Former South Africa speedster Dale Steyn analysed Rishabh Pant’s unimpressive run in the ongoing five-match T20I series between India and South Africa.
Rishabh Pant might’ve succeeded in leading India to back-to-back wins to level ongoing the five-match series, but his own form has been a cause of worry. The left-hander struck 29 off 16 in a high-scoring series opener at his home ground in Delhi, but has endured struggle thereafter, with 28 off 38 in the next three outings combined.
A striking feature of his failure has been the shot selection and a recurring mode of dismissal – that of mistiming wide balls outside off-stump straight through to the fielders – which has already occurred thrice in ongoing series, twice against Keshav Maharaj’s off-spin.
Dale Steyn addressed the issue, while analysing the left-hander’s string of underwhelming returns.
“Pant has had four opportunities in this series, where he seems to be making the same mistakes,” remarked Steyn on ESPNcricinfo’s ‘T20 Time Out’. “Also, you think that good players learn from their mistakes, he has not.”
Nine Indians have batted 40 or more times in T20Is.
None have a worse average or worse strike-rate or fewer sixes than Rishabh Pant 👀
What’s your take on his place in the T20I side?#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/n2GgcsF1Pt
— CricXtasy (@CricXtasy) June 17, 2022
As Pant struggled during a 23-ball 17 in a must-win fourth T20I in Rajkot – his dismissal in the 13th over leaving India at 81/4, it was Dinesh Karthik, who gave India a much needed flourish. The 37-year-old struck a brilliant 27-ball 55 – his maiden T20I fifty – while combining with Hardik Pandya (46 off 31), to help the hosts finish strongly at 169/6. It was enough for the team to secure a comprehensive 82-run win.
Steyn was in all-praise for Karthik, who he feels should be an automatic pick for India at the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
“DK has just come out every single time and shown what a class player he is,” said Steyn. “If you want to win the World Cup, you want to pick a guy who is in form. There are guys who team will pick on reputation, but DK is in such fantastic form, if he continues this form, he is going to be one of the first names written down on the plane when India tours for the World Cup later this year.
“DK has been in phenomenal form. This year, he is getting better and better. He has the wicketkeeper mentality, he reads the game really well, he knows and understands what bowlers are trying to do and he backs it up with very good skill. He reverse sweeps, sweeps, laps. They are shots being played by somebody who reads and understands the game, understands what the bowler is going to bowl when before he runs up to bowl.”
“He does it so well, he attacks the first and last ball of the over, he puts the bowlers under pressure on ball one, and then the guys, they don’t really have an answer.”
The fifth India-South Africa T20I will be played in Bangalore on Sunday, June 19.
