Rishabh Pant is standing at somewhat of a crossroads. Whatever the left-hander does these days attracts a lot of scrutiny, and his latest dismissal would not stop the storm any time soon. The wicketkeeper-batter threw away his wicket in the first innings of the Galle Test against Sri Lanka. Pant was looking set for a big knock, but ended up charging down the wicket against the run of play, only to walk back to the pavilion for 39.
India's Rishabh Pant walks back to the pavilion after losing his wicket. (ANI Pic Service)
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Pant's innings ended only four deliveries after the second new ball became available on Day 2, following the completion of 80 overs. Debutant off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha immediately put the India wicketkeeper under pressure and succeeded in tempting him into an aggressive stroke. Pant attempted a slog but failed to control the shot, with the ball carrying to the fielder at wide long-off.
The dismissal drew criticism from former India batter Mohammed Kaif, who questioned Pant's shot selection and decision-making given India's position in the game.
Deep Dive
What did Rishabh Pant do wrong during his dismissal in the Galle Test?
Rishabh Pant made a reckless decision by charging down the wicket to a debutant spinner, resulting in a dismissal that raised eyebrows due to poor shot selection and lack of common sense at a crucial moment in the match.
Why did former players criticize Pant's shot selection?
Former players, including Mohammed Kaif, criticized Pant's shot selection because it came during the first over with the new ball, suggesting he should have played more conservatively rather than attempting an aggressive slog.
How did Pant's dismissal impact India’s performance in the Test match?
Pant's dismissal contributed to a mini-collapse for India, leading them to lose four important wickets for just 70 runs, significantly altering the momentum of the game and giving Sri Lanka a chance to come back.
"I have no complaints about the way Rishabh Pant got out. He plays only like that, but the complaint is about common sense. It was the first over with the new ball. He jumped three times in that over. Common sense means to play the cut shot. See the new ball for five to six overs. This is the Test match tradition. Whoever plays like him also uses common sense,” Kaif said on Sony Sports.
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"I have no complaints about the way Rishabh Pant got out. He plays only like that, but the complaint is about common sense. It was the first over with the new ball. He jumped three times in that over. Common sense means to play the cut shot. See the new ball for five to six overs. This is the Test match tradition. Whoever plays like him also uses common sense,” Kaif said on Sony Sports.
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“I was surprised that he jumped on the first ball (of the over). One needs to calculate a little. Even if a batter is on 150, he also plays out a few balls when the new ball comes. I am cutting a few marks there. He was left way behind in logic and cricketing sense,” he added.
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Earlier, Pant had lost his wicket in a similar fashion in the warm-up game against SLC XI. On both occasions, he gifted his wicket to the spinner in trying to look for a big slog.
India in driver's seat
Shubman Gill-led India posted 462 runs on the board owing to Devdutt Padikkal's maiden Test ton. The visitors suffered a mini collapse on Day 2, but Dhruv Jurel's half-century ensured that India surpassed the 450-run mark.
KL Rahul was also a standout performer, chipping in with an 82-run knock. India then walked out to bat on Day 3 as well but Prasidh Krishna lasted just four balls and the visitors were bowled out for 462. Earlier, India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bat first in Galle.
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.
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Home/Cricket/Rishabh Pant implored to ‘think about common sense’ after reckless dismissal raises eyebrows: ‘One needs to calculate’
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