Nasser Hussain opines on Pants’ cheap dismissal in the WTC final

Although Virat Kohli’s dismissal by Kyle Jamieson was the major talking point on day three of the World Test Championship (WTC) final, the maverick wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s slow approach and his dismissal caught the attention of experts, commentators, and critics alike. The 23-year-old played 20 dot balls before he got off the mark. Many experts lauded the patience of the wicketkeeper-batter before he decided to chase a wide delivery of Jamieson and got out for just four runs.

Pant’s dismissal ended all the hopes of India amassing a total of 250 or above in Southampton. The southpaw put in all the hard yards for 20 balls and got the understanding of the pitch, before a rush of blood brought his downfall.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain was unimpressed by Pant’s dismissal. Hussain is also one of the members of the commentary panel and he got a close view of how the batter was dismissed by Jamieson.

“I mean he could have done something different. It was a wide ball that he could have left alone. The way Jamieson was smart, from around the wicket, the angles went with Jamieson. If he swings it in, he takes the LBW out of the equation. So, he went over the wicket and there was a review that was just clipping. The technique is not there. He’s not moved his foot across and it’s a dangerous shot,” Hussein told Star Sports.

Handling Rishabh Pant properly is the key, reckons Nasser Hussain

Although Pant could not get going this time, he still is one of the important members of the team as evidenced by his ability to change the game quickly. The cricketer-turned-commenter feels skipper Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri are the best people to handle him. Apart from the WTC final, India are also set to play five Tests in England.

“The management and the handling of Rishabh Pant going forward is going to be crucial. Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli are the best men to handle him because they are just going to let him be. You just can’t sit Rishabh Pant down and saying why did he do that. He’s just not that sort of a cricketer. They have to let him go and let him express himself.”