"No method to this madness" - Twitterati lash out at Rishabh Pant over horrible slog as keeper registers 3-ball duck

A dejected Rishabh Pant walks back after being dismissed. Pic: Getty Images
A dejected Rishabh Pant walks back after being dismissed. Pic: Getty Images

Team India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant continued his poor form with the bat as he was dismissed for a three-ball duck on Day 3 of the Johannesburg Test against South Africa.

Following the dismissals of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, India needed Pant to hang around. The second ball that the left-hander faced was a nasty short delivery from Kagiso Rabada. He was hit on the gloves trying to fend the rising delivery, but the ball fell well short of the slip cordon.

A visibly harried Pant danced down the track next ball and tried to slog a short-of-a-length delivery over extra cover. However, he could only manage an outside edge that was snaffled by the keeper. Pant’s wicket put India in trouble at 167 for 5.

Indian cricket fans were clearly not impressed with Pant’s horrible dismissal. They took to Twitter to vent their frustration. Here are some reactions:

India got off to a solid start on Day 3 of the Johannesburg Test as Pujara and Rahane batted aggressively and scored impressive half-centuries. The under-fire duo took India’s total from an overnight score of 85 for 2 to 155 before Rahane perished for 58. Rabada produced a beauty to get rid of the well-set batter, who nicked a short of a length delivery around off to the keeper.

Rabada also accounted for Pujara as the No. 3 batter fell for 53. The South African pacer got one to nip back in sharply and beat Pujara's defence. The batter went for the review but replays showed the ball would have crashed into leg stump.

India were dependent on Pant to add some crucial runs but he failed to live up to the challenge. The visitors also lost Ravichandran Ashwin (16) before Lunch on Day 3. They went into the break at 188 for 6, with a lead of 161 but only four wickets in hand.


Rishabh Pant’s horror run with the bat

Since his century against England in Ahmedabad in March 2021, Pant has only scored 250 runs in seven Test matches at an average of 19.23.

In five Tests in England, including the WTC final, he managed only 191 runs at an average of 21.22 with a best of 50.

In the two Tests in South Africa so far, he has scored 59 runs at an average of 14.75 with a best of 34.

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