“How many more chances to Rishabh Pant” is what the fans are asking after yet another failure for the left-hander in T20Is. Now given the opening position for the second T20I against New Zealand, Pant disappointed the Indian cricket fans once again with a single-digit score of 6 runs.
This is his third consecutive single-digit score after 3 vs Zimbabwe and 6 vs England during the T20 World Cup 2022. Pant is also the vice-captain for this T20I series, so he was always going to play.
India also benched Sanju Samson today despite his good record in T20Is this year – in 5 T20I innings in 2022, Sanju Samson has scored 179 runs at an average of 44 and importantly strike rate of 158 – whereas Pant had mediocre returns with the bat in T20Is in 2022: 19 innings, average of 23 and strike rate of 135 with just one fifty that came in February vs West Indies at home.
Rishabh Pant was dismissed for 6 runs in the second T20I against New Zealand
The first T20I in Wellington on Friday was washed out due to rain. The India-New Zealand T20I series finally kicked off on Sunday with the second T20I at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. Kane Williamson won the toss and elected to field first.
Pant got underway with a boundary on the last ball of the first over by Tim Southee, a strong whip that went past mid-on. After that, however, it was a struggle for Pant who couldn’t time the ball well. Pant kept being beaten with the balls both moving in and moving away; the Kiwi pacers also bowled well to his weakness of the ball outside off-stump, one of which from fast bowler Lockie Ferguson eventually dismissed him.
To a back of a length outside off delivery, Pant tried to hit on the leg side with a cross-batted pull but only managed top edge which went over Tim Southee at short thirdman. Southee ran back and put in a slide to take a good catch to end Pant’s innings.
Rishabh Pant was trolled mercilessly on Twitter following another failure in T20Is:
Every Indian & Sanju Fans to Rishab pant : 6(13) #SanjuSamson #RishabhPant #BCCI pic.twitter.com/mIxFBBKq2A
— _._ifeelking_._ (@rikendrarathore) November 20, 2022
Rishabh Pant dismissed for 6 from 13 balls
Don’t worry he will be form when he get 100 more matches .. long live Rishabh pantBiggest fraud Motu pant🤬🤬
Feeling sad for sanju samson 🥲#sanjusamson desvers better#INDvsNZ #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/FyoLDsLz3N— Sameer Prajapati (@SameerP14178298) November 20, 2022
In T20s post IPL 2022, Rishabh Pant has been dismissed 8 times on the deliveries far away from his body.#RishabhPant | #T20Cricket | #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/WdbDxatOmV
— Cricket.com (@weRcricket) November 20, 2022
Indian team to Rishabh Pant:#NZvIND #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/KV3SBpIH7h
— Goliath (@PitchingOutside) November 20, 2022
Lowest Average after 55 T20I innings
(while batting in top 6)21.9: AB de Villiers
22.7: Rishabh Pant#17
— The Cricket Panda (@TheCricketPanda) November 20, 2022
Don’t worry motu bhai, keep failing.
They will never drop you. pic.twitter.com/e65Cs0ddH9— Khalid Mahmood Akif (@KM_Akif) November 20, 2022
This is beyond horrible. At this point, Rishabh should take a break from T20I.
— Aditya (@Adityakrsaha) November 20, 2022
Yahi tha intent pic.twitter.com/PZfYFCnCM0
— Prasun jha (@Prasunj52754874) November 20, 2022
Useless T20I batsman 🤣🤣🤣
— Virarsh (@Cheeku218) November 20, 2022
