Rishabh Pant: The daredevil living on the edge

The way Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was dismissed in the second innings of the 2nd Test match against South Africa has been the talking point for the last few days. Pant had walked out to bat at a time when India had lost two quick wickets and were leading only by 136 runs with two and half days to go in the match.

Off the third delivery he faced, the left-hander went for a wild hoick off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada, the ball took the outside edge of his willow and settled into the hands of the wicket-keeper. Pant departed for a duck, and in the eyes of many, had just ‘thrown’ his wicket away.

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was not happy with the way Pant was dismissed. Gavaskar feels that there is no excuse for the shot that Pant played, and also added that Pant should show more responsibility.

“You had two new batsmen at the crease and then you saw that shot from Rishabh Pant. Forgettable, no excuses for that shot. None of that nonsense that it’s his natural game. There is supposed to be a bit of responsibility shown because others are taking the blows. There are guys like Rahane who has taken the blow, guys like Pujara who have taken it on their bodies. So you also fight it out,” said Sunil Gavaskar as quoted by the Hindustan Times.

But then, isn’t this the same approach that has brought Pant success too? When India were fighting it out for a draw in Sydney in January 2021 against Australia, chasing a target of 407 and had lost three wickets with their scorecard reading 102, Pant came out and smashed the Australian bowling attack to a pulp, and scored a resplendent 97 at a strike rate of over 80. He rattled the Aussie bowling attack, as Pujara and Pant put on a match-saving partnership of 148 runs.

This is no way to get out. Rishabh Pant had to fight it out with the Test on line. Not buying this aggression at all #IndvsSAF

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) January 5, 2022

In the next Test match at The Gabba, Pant did not curb his attacking instincts and blasted a match-winning 89* at a strike rate of over 60 and helped India to a famous win. Two months later in March 2021, the same approach helped Pant blast a murderous 101 off just 118 deliveries and allowed India to thrash the England side by an innings and 25 runs.

Pant is living life on the edge, he is living precariously. And, if he lives by the sword, he will die by it as well. We should give Pant the freedom to express himself, as for every Gabba or Sydney-like innings there will be a failure like Johannesburg as well, and we should be willing to accept that.