Rishabh Pant struggled with his glovework during the 4th ODI vs Australia in Mohali on Sunday (AP Photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Rishabh Pant missed a stumping chance, handing Ashton Turner a reprieve in the 4th ODI
- Rishabh Pant was booed by the Mohali crowd over his shoddy glovework on Sunday
- Australia gunned down a 359-run target after Ashton Turner played a blinder
Young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant faced criticism after missing a stumping at a crucial juncture during India's four-wicket defeat to Australia in the fourth ODI in Mohali on Sunday.
Pant had big shoes to fill as he had replaced MS Dhoni, who was rested for the fourth and the fifth ODI of the ongoing series against Australia. However, the 21-year-old struggled with his glovework on a dewy evening in Mohali.
The crowd at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium didn't hold back as they chanted "Dhoni... Dhoni" after Pant's costly errors during Australia's successful chase of 359 runs.
It all started in the in the 44th over of the Australian innings when Rishabh Pant missed a straight forward stumping chance to dismiss Ashton Turner on 38. Turner went on to play a match-winning knock of 84 from just 43 balls and help Australia level the 5-match series at 2-2.
Even as the "Dhoni... Dhoni" chants were on, Pant tried to compensate for the missed stumping by attempting a flick to the stumps to run Alex Carey out in the third ball of Yuzvendra Chahal's over. However, Pant missed the target and conceded an extra run to Australia.
Pant also pushed captain Virat Kohli to go for a DRS review against Turner in the fourth ball of the over. The on-field decision stayed after the review process, adding more frustration to the hosts who were struggling due to the dew in the North Indian city.
Dhawan jumps to Pant's defence
Nonetheless, senior batsman, Shikhar Dhawan has backed Rishabh Pant, saying it's unfair to compare him to MS Dhoni and that the young wicketkeeper-batsman should be given more time to find his feet in international cricket.
"Rishabh is a young bloke and like any other youngster, you have to give time to him. Rishabh is still finding his feet. You cannot compare Pant to Dhoni [bhai], given the experience he has having played over the years," Dhawan told the media in Mohali.
He added: "Of course, had the stumping chance been taken, it could have turned the game. Having said that, the game slipped away from out hands quite quickly after that. The dew also played its part n the game. But that's what it is."
Notably, it was Dhawan's century (143) that ended in vain as Australia completed their highest-ever successful chase and handed India their second straight defeat in the ongoing series.
We didn't expect the dew: Dhawan
Meanwhile, Dhawan also admitted that the Indian team has twice read the conditions wrongly in successive ODIs. India had failed to chase a 314-run target in the third ODI in Ranchi after deciding to chase.
"We had expected dew would be a factor in the last game and it didn't come and here, we didn't expect dew in this game and it came very heavily," Dhawan said.
"So of course, when you put such a totals on the board, it's always pressure for the other sides and not our bowlers and we were quite in control till 38th over. But then ball started coming so nicely and the (bounce) true that you could play any shot on that surface.
"Because of the dew, the ball was not gripping and of course he (Ashton Turner) played really a good knock and took the game away. But he couldn't have played those shots had there been no dew."
India and Australia will meet in the series decider in Delhi on Wednesday. Notably, India were blanked 2-0 in the T20I series by the Aaron Finch-led visiting team.
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