‘He didn’t seem to have much gas left in the tank’: Former selector on Rishabh Pant drops century

Rishabh Pant (Image credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: The stage was set for an unforgettable century for Rishabh Pant, but the Indian wicketkeeper-spinner decided to throw the opportunity away. Pant, who was dropped as India’s vice-captain ahead of the series with the role handed over to KL Rahul, fell for 81 off 121 balls when he mishit an attacking shot and was caught at mid-off by Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.A dismissal that drew criticism from all quarters, former India batsman Saba Karim said Pant looked in complete control of most of his innings and was surprised to see him depart in this manner. Karim also believed Pant’s dismissal on Day 2 of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur was more a result of fatigue and dehydration than poor shot selection after the left-hander’s impressive innings ended on 81.“I was expecting a big knock from Rishabh Pant as he seemed to be in control, despite the outside edge which was not rated,” Karim told Jio Hotstar.The former national coach felt that Pant’s physical condition in the extreme heat may have contributed to the exclusion.“However, I felt he started to lose energy before his release. He didn’t seem to have much gas left in the tank. He needed some treatment from a physio and I think he was dehydrated. So maybe it was more of a lapse in concentration than anything else,” he added.“Rarely do you see Rishabh Pant go for a big shot when both long-on and long-off shots are on the boundary. He simply tried to accelerate but didn’t get the right ball to play that shot,” he said.“Because whenever he decides to go big, he’s usually very decisive with his footwork and the deliveries he decides to attack,” he added.Pant’s innings played a key role in India’s commanding first innings total of 564/8 declared, helping the hosts tighten their grip on the match despite falling 19 runs short of what would have been his seventh Test century.