Pant & his reckless batting sparks debate again

• Mohammad Kaif critiques Rishabh Pant's logic in the Test against SL
• Pant was out for 39 after an aggressive shot against the new ball
• Dhruv Jurel's traditional style provides Pant with fresh competition

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif said he had no complaints other than a desire for ‘common sense’ from Rishabh Pant for getting out playing the aggressive step-down-and-hoick in the first innings of

the first Test against Sri Lanka. Kaif said that other aggressive batters show better ‘cricketing logic’ than the Indian wicketkeeper batter without compromising on their style.

It’s a never-ending debate with Pant. He is a maverick who can change games in the middle-order and has done it several times, helping India to some of their most remarkable Test wins. But when his methods don’t come off, it ends up in frustration. At Galle, for example, he was batting at 39 (61), and in a 71-run partnership with Devdutt Padikkal, when he decided to unsuccessfully take on Keshara Nuwantha.

His shot came completely against the run of play and on another day might have given Sri Lanka an opening into India’s lower order without much work.

“I have no complaints about the way Rishabh Pant got out,” Kaif said on Sony Sports. “He plays like that only, but the complaint is about common sense. It was the first over with the new ball. He jumped three times in that over. Common sense means play the cut shot. See the new ball for five to six overs. This is the Test match tradition. Whoever plays like him also uses common sense,” he added.

“I was surprised that he jumped on the first ball (of the over). One needs to calculate a little. Even if a batter is on 150, he also plays out a few balls when the new ball comes. I am cutting a few marks there. He was left way behind in logic and cricketing sense,” he added.

Unlike the past few years, when Pant played with virtually no competition behind his back, now he has Dhruv Jurel, an equally adept (if not a better) wicketkeeper, who plays in the more traditional way. Jurel scored 51 (68) in this innings with four boundaries and a six — the same as Pant — with a better final strike rate.