Rishabh Pant frustrates fans once again with rash dismissal: He is Nick Kyrgios of cricket
India Today · India Today Sports Desk · 2026-08-16T18:27:01+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Rishabh Pant frustrates fans once again with rash dismissal: He is Nick Kyrgios of cricket
SL vs IND: India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was dismissed cheaply once again, falling for 39 runs in Galle. The manner of dismissal angered the fans, who called out Pant for his repeated shenanigans in the red-ball game.
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant once again caught the ire of the fans after falling cheaply against Sri Lanka in the first Test match.
Batting after a lengthy rain delay in Galle, Pant was expected to see off the new ball against the Sri Lankan bowling attack. But, batting from an overnight score of 27, Pant looked edgy in the middle, especially against off-spinner Keshara Nuwantha.
Sri Lanka were not afraid to give the ball some air and an impatient Pant fell into the trap while batting on 39.
Like he often does, Rishabh Pant stepped down the ground and tried to take a wild swipe at the ball turning away from him. The left-hander's loft was devoid of any timing and found Sonal Dinusha, who completed the catch running in from mid-off.
The dismissal angered the fans, who likened Pant to Nick Kyrgios, the Australian tennis player. Kyrgios, often considered one of the most flamboyant and talented players on the circuit, failed to win a single Grand Slam in his career.
"I'm really disappointed with the way Rishabh Pant is playing his cricket these days. Bowlers (esp spinners) know when he is coming after them & they have been able to adjust, deceive & get him out. Hashmatullah Shahidi got him while going for a big shot, same in tour game & now," one of the fans said.
Meanwhile, several also blamed India head coach Gautam Gambhir for trying to change the natural temperament of the player, who had been through a string of failures during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
Gambhir had a big talk with Rishabh Pant during the tour and reportedly asked him to bring his tempo down.
"Tbh Gautam Gambhir and his cheap strategies have shattered the mental peace of Rishabh Pant & it's destroying his test cricket as well - he'll have a big BIG hand for Rishabh's downfall which I simply pray to god that it doesn't happen," another fan said.
Pant's failure in the first innings of the opening Test did not deter India from scoring some big runs. India crossed the 400-run mark in the 104th over, which came on the back of Devdutt Padikkal's 167 off 230 balls.