'If you don’t keep well, it affects your batting': BCCI Chief selector MSK Prasad on Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is surely the talk of the town - be it for his return back to form with the bat or his bad DRS decisions behind the stumps.

The wicketkeeper-batsman is mostly trolled by fans and netizens always question his selection in the Indian squad.

Talking about his indifferent form, Chief selector of the BCCI MSK Prasad feels Pant’s performance with the bat could have had a severe effect on his wicketkeeping skills.

“If you don’t keep well, it affects your batting. And if you don’t get runs, it affects your keeping. Whenever you are under pressure, you stiffen up. Your arms, shoulders, biceps, forearms – everything stiffens up. That’s when the ball starts popping out because of hard hands,” Prasad told Hindustan Times. “When you are in a relaxed state of mind, the way you receive that ball is different to the way you collect when you are under pressure.”

Pant had recently scored his maiden half-century in ODIs, but his form behind the wickets is still questionable.

He drew everyone’s attention when he dropped four catches in the third ODI between India and West Indies at Cuttack. 

Prasad feels there could be many elements behind Pant’s wobbly presence behind the stumps but is confident of the youngster improving.

“It’s a combination of everything,” Prasad added. “See, he is young and is still a work-in-progress. But there is a lot of time ahead for him. Since he got in the Indian side at a young age, he hasn’t played much domestic cricket. That is also one of the reasons,” Prasad added. “I am sure he will come back strong. It’s also good that this has happened early in his career.”

The Prasad-led selection committee has continued to back Pant, with the belief that he holds all the potential to be a match-winner. Pant needs to do is give himself more time in the middle.

“If he has that sort of ability, to get Test hundreds in Australia and England, he needs to be backed.” said Prasad. “He is focusing on playing long innings now, rather than going there and trying to hit every ball that he faces. He will learn with age… just like you look to middle the ball when you’re batting, wicketkeeping is about collecting the ball in the middle of the gloves.