'For a captain of India, to keep getting out in same manner...': Gavaskar rips into Rishabh Pant after another failure

Team India captain Rishabh Pant endured yet another failure with the bat during the T20I series against South Africa. The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman's struggling stay at the crease came to an end at merely 17 off 23 balls and his dismissal has almost become a pattern. For the third time in the series, Pant was dismissed while chasing the delivery wide outside-off, as he attempted to clear the fence.

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Pant departed in the second-last delivery of the 13th over of the innings, following a nervy start from the Indian team. Following his dismissal, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar criticised the youngster on his shot-selection.

“He hasn't learned. He hasn't learned from his previous three dismissals. They throw wide, and he keeps going for it. He can't throw enough muscle on that. He has got to stop looking to go aerial that far outside the off-stump,” said Gavaskar during his commentary stint on Star Sports.

“There is no way he's going to get enough on it. It has gone to short-third! They all plan it, South African bowlers and Temba Bavuma… just bowl wide outside the off-stump and you will get him.”

Furthermore, analysing Pant's dismissal, Gavaskar said that the wicketkeeper-batter would never be able to generate enough power on the shot because he is very far from the ball.

“10 times, he has been dismissed wide outside off-stump (in T20s in 2022). Some of them would've been called wide if he hadn't made contact with it. Because he's so far away, he has to reach out for it. He will never get enough power on it. To keep getting out in the same series in the same manner, for a captain of the Indian team, that's not a good sign,” said Gavaskar.

Earlier in the game, South Africa had won the toss and opted to bowl in Rajkot.