Former Australian cricketer-turned-commentator Matthew Hayden believes that Rishabh Pant needs to work on his skills against spin bowling, and it is the major cause of concern for Team India heading into the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Hayden mentioned that Virat Kohli also struggled against spin at the start of the ongoing IPL 2024, but he has managed to dismiss all the doubts about his game with his stellar performances with the bat in the tournament. Kohli has been aggressively scoring against the spinner for the past 6 matches.
Matthew Hayden urges Rishabh Pant to improve spin technique
After missing Delhi Capitals’ (DC) last IPL 2024 clash against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) due to suspension, Pant will return to lead the team in their final league match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday, May 14, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Ahead of the DC vs LSG clash in Delhi, Hayden discussed the improvements the Indian cricket team would like to see in Pant’s game against spin, especially with the T20 World Cup 2024 on the horizon. Pant was named in India’s T20 World Cup squad as a specialist wicketkeeper-batter.
The former Australian batter stressed that the Indian wicketkeeper-batter needs to work on creating scoring opportunities and manipulating strikes effectively against spin. Hayden also pointed out that Pant’s aggressive approach works well against pace, but the DC skipper needs to use his wrists and rotate the strike to survive for a longer time against spin.
Rishabh Pant has got to work on scoring angles: Matthew Hayden
Matthew Hayden said on the Star Sports’ show “Game Plan”: “Rishabh has got to work on scoring angles and scoring zones, and manipulation of strike as well. He tends to be all or nothing against spin. That’s the way Rishabh Pant plays against pace as well but with spin, you also have to have the subtleties, the wrists, and the ability to rotate strike, so that if you do get under pressure, you can get off it.”
Hayden added, “So that’s one area the Indian side will be really looking to see some improvement. The IPL asked that of Virat Kohli and he has answered those questions. So, Rishabh, in that vein, can take on some of the criticisms, some of the numbers that we suggest, and work out a method of how to at least survive a little longer against spin.”
Notably, the BCCI suspended Pant for one match after his third slow over-rate offense of the season. He had to sit out during DC’s 47-run defeat against RCB in Bengaluru. After this, the Indian star posted a cryptic Instagram story, suggesting he was not happy with his suspension.
Pant said via his Instagram post, “The only thing we have power over in the universe is our own thoughts. I can’t say much.” He has so far scored 413 runs in his 12 outings in the tournament, for an average of 41 and a strike rate of 156. Pant will perform well against the LSG in Delhi.