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Now, veteran India stumper Parthiv Patel has come out in support of the under-fire youngster. He has advised Pant to shut out the criticism and solely focus on the game.
Patel had made his Test debut against England at Trent Bridge. He was the youngest wicket-keeper to represent a national side at the age of 17 years and 153 days.
Incidentally, Pant too made his Test debut against the same opposition at Trent Bridge. The Uttarakhand-born cricketer even went on to hit his maiden ton in the same series. However, an extended lean patch thereafter didn’t help matters.
On Pant’s glovework, Patel said, “Obviously when you play for India, you have something in you. He made his Test debut in a tough place like England where the ball swings a lot. He’s a young player. It’s about gaining confidence. It can change in a matter of one-two innings.”
While Wriddhiman Saha is more or less India’s go to gloveman in Tests, the men in blue are yet to find a suitable option in the white-ball format. Kerala’s Sanju Samson has been waiting in the wings for quite some time now.
Samson has put up a mountain of runs in the domestic circuit, which in turn is bound to increase the pressure on Pant.
Virat Kohli’s men will next take on Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series, starting in Guwahati on 5 January. The question is whether the team management will pick Samson for the upcoming games or throw another lifeline at Pant, who has turned out in 26 T20Is for India.
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