‘Karthik came in 2014…’: Ex-India player’s advice to Rishabh Pant ahead of T20 World Cup, warns ‘team will leave you’

Ahead of the T20 World Cup, a former player had some valuable advice for Rishabh Pant's recent woes. He also warned the wicketkeeper-batter that he could his lose his place in the team.

Rishabh Pant disappointed once again with the bat, coming in as Rohit Sharma's opening partner in the recent India vs South Africa 3rd T20I, held in Indore. After Rohit's two-ball duck, Pant tried to anchor India's chase and attempted to build a partnership with Dinesh Karthik after Shreyas Iyer's dismissal in the second over. But the wicketkeeper-batter lost his wicket to Lungi Ngidi in the final delivery of the fifth over, as he toe-ended a short ball towards cover where Tristan Stubbs took a diving catch. The Delhi Capitals (DC) captain could only register 27 runs off 14 balls, including three fours and two sixes. With many fans and experts questioning his place in India's T20 World Cup lately, former player Ajay Jadeja had some advice for Rishabh Pant and asked him to seek help from a veteran cricketer.

Rishabh Pant walks back to pavilion after getting dismissed during the 3rd T20I match between India and South Africa, at Holkar Cricket Stadium, in Indore. (ANI)

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Jadeja explained that Pant missed a big opportunity to prove a point in the third T20I and also warned him to 'figure' his woes out soon. "Yes, he has missed it and I hope I mean he doesn't have to go too far. He had to look to his batting partner today. It's taken him 15 years for the team to start believing and you know accepting. DK (Karthik) who had similar talent over the last 15 years", he said.

"DK came in 2014 and you know the team persisted with him, kept bringing back every time because you believe in some talent. But if you don't deliver then eventually that team leaves you out somewhere. So he'll have to and he doesn't have to go far."

"He's got a mate in that team, to learn from him and say, ''Listen, you know what I need to do if there is something that I'm missing out on. You've gone through this, show me the way", because no matter how big a fan I am, how long will you persist with him. There is no one else who can help him out there because of talent like I said earlier. You just mentioned I mean there's no dearth of talent there and it's just this format."

"So it's something, that he has to figure that out and a very good person to talk to would be DK, because he has probably been through a similar situation where teams, captains, coaches always brought him back every couple of years. believing in him. But it's never happened for him and it's taken him so long to now get to the stage where the team or you know most of the world had given up on him. But he didn't give up and he's come back. So better if he learns now rather than when you know he gets to the age of DK", he further added.

Karthik smashed 46 runs off 21 balls in the third T20I as India failed to chase a target of 228 runs, getting bowled out for 178 in 18.3 overs. Initially, an unbeaten ton from Rilee Roussouw (100* off 48 balls) drove South Africa to 227 for three in 20 overs.