xtratime Logo

XtraTime Web Desk: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has come out in support of Rishabh Pant who has been under radar for a string of poor performance. Gambhir said the team management need to make him feel ‘wanted’. Writing in a column for TOI, Gambhir slammed the team management for the treatment given to the young wicketkeeper and said that the management need to motivate him to do better.

“Personally, I have always backed Sanju Samson ahead of Rishabh for wicketkeeper-batsman’s role but it is disappointing to see the team-management using words like “from fearless to careless”, “wrap on Rishbah’s knuckles” and “need for a backup of Rishabh”. This is no way to handle a young human resource. Everyone wants him to play “sensible” cricket,” Gambhir wrote.

He further said that Pant would now be playing for “survival” rather than “scoring runs”. “I don’t know what that means. What I do know is that the boy is now playing for survival rather than scoring runs. From the outside it seems that his mindset is all over the place. Someone needs to put an arm around his shoulder and tell him that he is wanted in the team,” Gambhir said.

India will take on South Africa in the 3rd and final T20I in Bengaluru on Sunday. Speaking on the encounter, Gambhir wrote: “I expect India to boss around in the final T20 as well. I hope there is a balance of support in the pitch in Bengaluru. Too much tilt in favour of batsmen is never a good spectacle.”

After the first match was washed out in Dharamsala, India pulled a seven-wicket win over Proteas in Mohali with skipper Virat Kohli scoring an unbeaten 72. India are leading 1-0 in the series and will win the series, even if the match gets washed out. For South Africa, it will be a do-or-die game and captain Quinton de Kock will hope to win the match to draw the series 1-1.