Highlights
- Rahul Dravid said that wicketkeeper will talk to batsman Rishabh Pant on his attitude
- Dravid, however, said that Pant does not need to be his aggressive style.
- Team India coach’s advice to spend some time on the pitch before changing gear
India suffered a seven-wicket defeat in the second match of the Test series against South Africa on Thursday. Team India coach Rahul Dravid said in the post-match virtual press conference that the team management will talk to Rishabh Pant about his aggressive game.
Dravid admitted that Pant has established himself as a match-winner in the Test format with his aggressive style. However, he wants the youngster to keep the circumstances in mind.
Dravid advised Pant to spend some time on the pitch initially and assess the pitch and conditions a bit, instead of playing aggressive shots as soon as he got on the wicket.
Dravid said in a press conference in Johannesburg, ‘In a way we know that Rishabh Pant plays in a positive way. They have their own unique way of playing and that has given them some success too. But of course, there will be a time when we will talk to him about it.
He said, ‘It is only a matter of what is the right time to play that kind of shots. No one is going to tell Rishabh not to play positive or aggressive cricket. But sometimes the question is about choosing the right time to play that kind of cricket. When you come out to bat at the crease, the only advice is to give yourself a little more time.
Rahul Dravid expressed hope that Rishabh Pant will learn from his experiences in these difficult situations and become a better player in future.
Dravid said, ‘But in the end, we know what Pant can do for us. He is a very positive batting player. He is the kind of player who can change the course of the match very quickly. That too easily. We will not take that away from him or ask him to be a different kind of player. He is still learning and hopefully he will continue to improve and keep getting better.
In a way we know that Rishabh Pant plays in a positive way. They have their own unique way of playing and that has given them some success too. But of course, there will be a time when we will talk to him about it.
Rahul Dravid
Rishabh Pant failed in Johannesburg Test match. He scored 17 runs in the first innings and could not even open the account in the second innings. More than Pant’s runs, great players like Sunil Gavaskar questioned his attitude. In his second innings, he got out on only the third ball. He played an aggressive shot off Kagiso Rabada.
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