India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, on Sunday sparked a furore on social media after he took to Instagram to post a cryptic story. It came hours after India lost the opening Test of the three-match series against New Zealand in Bengaluru on Sunday, as the visitors won by eight wickets to claim their first-ever victory in the country in 36 years.
Pant's campaign in the opening Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was marred by a knee injury while wicketkeeping on Day 2. It was the same knee where he underwent surgery in early 2023 following a car crash. As a precautionary move by the BCCI Medical Team, he was rested the following day, with Dhruv Jurel substituting him for the keeping role. However, he returned to bat in the second innings on Day 4, to score 99, while forging a valiant 178-run stand alongside centurion Sarfaraz Khan. He later warmed the bench on the final day of the match to rest his knees.
Following the loss, he took to Instagram to share a story, where the content read: "Sometimes it's best to just be quiet and let God show people."
With the post showing no indication of who it was directed towards, or was it just a quote he happened to come across on the internet and share with his fans as part of wisdom, it sparked a furore among fans. Few reckoned that it was dig at India captain Rohit Sharma, who have been shown no mercy by fans on social media over his leadership in the New Zealand Test, while others felt it was aimed at Delhi Capitals, who might have come to a conclusion of not retaining him for the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League.
{{/usCountry}}With the post showing no indication of who it was directed towards, or was it just a quote he happened to come across on the internet and share with his fans as part of wisdom, it sparked a furore among fans. Few reckoned that it was dig at India captain Rohit Sharma, who have been shown no mercy by fans on social media over his leadership in the New Zealand Test, while others felt it was aimed at Delhi Capitals, who might have come to a conclusion of not retaining him for the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League.
{{/usCountry}}Pant to be rested for 2nd Test?
A report in The Indian Express on Monday indicated that Pant could be rested for the Pune Test against New Zealand, which begins on October 24, although the selection committee have left the entire decision up to the team management.
It would only be a wiser decision from Rohit to rest Pant, with India needing his services more during the Border-Gavaskar series next month in Australia. Moreover, India do have an able back-up wicketkeeper in Dhruv Jurel.