Former skipper Ricky Ponting has raised questions about Rishabh Pant and his skills as a wicketkeeper after his poor performance behind the stumps on Day 1 of the third test match. Pant fumbled not once but twice, dropping the debutant Will Pucovski twice in three overs.
The first incident took place during the 22nd over of the game off Ashwin’s delivery. He bowled a straight ball and Pacovski played for the turn. Though Rishabh Pant took the edge but he failed to hold on to the catch.
The second incident took place in the last ball of the 25th over bowled by Mohammed Siraj, Pucovski got a glove to a short ball and it lobbed behind Rishabh Pant. He ran back, dived, and grabbed the ball, however, it popped off and touched the ground.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj became the two unlucky bowlers, while Pucovski turned out to be super-lucky.
Ricky Ponting, who has worked closely with Rishabh Pant at Delhi Capitals, reckoned that team India is lucky to have gotten Pucovski out for 62 runs when he could have scored some big runs. He said:
“The one’s (dropped catches) today are two that should be taken, simple as that. It’s probably lucky for Rishabh that Pucovski didn’t go on and make a big hundred or a double hundred and looking at the wicket, it looks like an unbelievable surface,”
Ponting also pointed out the fact that ever since his big debut, Pant has dropped more catches than any other keeper in the world. He said:
“I’m sure when Rishabh put those catches down, he would have thought the worst and ‘here we go, he’s really going to make me pay’ but (Pucovski) didn’t today,”
Ponting added.
“I’ve said it all along, the knock-on Rishabh is always going to be on his keeping. Since his debut in Test cricket, he’s dropped more catches than any other keeper in the world. That highlights he has got some work to do with his keeping.”
