"He can make an initial wrong movement" - Former Australia keeper criticises Rishabh Pant during BGT 2024-25

Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy has criticized Rishabh Pant's wicketkeeping style and even opined that the 27-year-old is still a ‘work in progress’. Pant is currently in action for India at the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against hosts Australia.

In the three matches he has played in this series, Rishabh Pant has taken 19 catches from behind the stumps. In the recently concluded rain-marred Brisbane Test match, he was brilliant with the gloves, taking nine catches in the drawn clash.

However, in the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval, Pant dropped Nathan McSweeney in the seventh over of Australia's first innings when the opener was batting on 3*. It did not go well with captain Rohit Sharma, who was visibly upset with the missed opportunity. McSweeney eventually went on to score 39 runs off 109 deliveries, which included six fours, before getting dismissed in the 37th over.

Also, in the fourth ball of the 69th over bowled by Harshit Rana while Travis Head was on strike, Pant failed to dive to his left and go for the catch. The thick outside edge flew past him and went to the boundary much to the disappointment of the bowler. Head, who was on 78 when the incident happened, scored 140 runs before returning to the pavilion.

Analysing Rishabh Pant's wicketkeeping technique, the legendary wicketkeeper Ian Healy pointed out a glaring error in his technique which led to dropped catches. Speaking to the Indian Express, Healy opened up by saying,

"Rishabh Pant is a work in progress, but I saw him in the mornings and like the drills he is doing; he is bound to improve more. At times, as he did when he dropped a catch in this series earlier, he can make an initial wrong movement. Some keepers like to move a touch to their left first and then press from there. It’s better to be still and if you can’t, then you start that trigger movement a touch early so that by the time the ball is out there, you can still press to the right side. One of those two decisions have to be made."

Rishabh Pant has registered 96 runs in three Test matches

The southpaw, who ended up as the highest run-getter in that forgettable home Test series whitewash against New Zealand last month with 261 runs under his belt, has registered 96 runs in the first three fixtures of the five-match series against Australia.

When the rest of the batters failed to rise to the occasion, Rishabh Pant combined well with debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy and helped India post 150 runs in the first innings at the Optus Stadium in the series opener. His 78-ball 37-run knock comprised three fours and a six and it remains his highest score in the series so far.