Rishabh Pant fails with bat in 5th ODI; Twitter reacts

Rishabh Pant had a nervous few months ahead of the World Cup kicking off in May. The dashing wicket-keeper-batsman made an impressive debut in Tests in England last year and had a magnificent four-match series in Australia in December-January. However, the youngster has found it tougher in the limited-overs format and after a terrible outing with the gloves in the fourth ODI in Mohali, he fell cheaply in the final game in Delhi, his home state.

Australia posted a total of 272 for 9 in 50 overs after their captain Aaron Finch won the toss and elected to bat. The wicket seemed low and slow but opener Usman Khawaja continued his rich form, hitting yet another hundred. He scored a hundred in the third match in Ranchi and 91 in Mohali.

Peter Handscomb, the centurion from Mohali who played a key role in guiding Australia to level the series, scored another fifty in Delhi. Pant kept better in this game, taking two catches though he spilled one off-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the Indian bowlers with three wickets for 48 runs while Mohammed Shami, who was brought back from his break, took two.

Pant scored just 16 when he had the stage to impress all

In reply, the hosts lost opener Shikhar Dhawan, who slammed 143 in Mohali, early and then his partner Rohit Sharma added 53 runs for the second wicket with captain Virat Kohli (20). However, wickets kept falling at the other end even as Rohit continued with his show. Pant was dismissed by off-spinner Nathan Lyon in the 18th over as he came forward only to poke at the spin to give a catch at the slip where Ashton Turner was fielding.

Pant scored run a ball (hit one six and one four) but he needed to continue to get a big score to make India’s chase easier. Vijay Shankar was the next to fall as India were reduced to 120 for 4 with their fans feeling apprehensive about a much-needed win to pocket the series.

Pant has come under criticism from fans and experts earlier as well over his shot selection, especially at crunch moments in limited-over series and the spectators were not amused with his show in Delhi either. This was his final chance in an international game to get picked for India’s World Cup squad.

Here are some reactions from Twitter on Pant’s ordinary show with the bat in Delhi:

Rishabh Pant is not Ready for WC #INDvsAUS #indvsaus5thodi

— sachin (@sachin38459309) March 13, 2019

#And they said there will be Rishabh Pant after Dhoni. #INDvAUS

— KAUSHAL🇮🇳 (@kaushal_agrawal) March 13, 2019

When u think #RishabhPant is going to be today's match winner he plays the silly shot. Can't remember any sustained match winning scores of Mr. Pant 🙁

— K (@vkumar2463) March 13, 2019

Rishabh pant doesn't fit in ODI. #INDvAUS

— Rahul Raj (@IamRahulRaJ1) March 13, 2019

We have seen enough of Rishabh Pant and he doesn't deserve a place in the World Cup squad. Another glorious opportunity thrown away. This could have been his ticket. #INDvAUS

— Rajdeep Saha (@Journalist_RD) March 13, 2019

@BCCI enough with Rishabh Pant. He’s not ready for the ODI World Cup neither with the gloves nor with the bat. Take the experienced DK with Dhoni, better keeper, calm batsman. Team India needs experienced head in the team. Pant doesn’t deserve this time.

— Vineet Chhabra (@bruce_not_wayne) March 13, 2019

WORLD CUP OVER FOR RISHABH PANT, BETTER TRY NOW FOR #WC2023.

— Tanmay Shinde (@tanny1994264) March 13, 2019

#RishabhPant is not going to England for the #CWC19
Surely not after this performance tonight#INDvAUS

— Vipul Singh (@iamVipul_Singh) March 13, 2019

@BCCI Rishabh Pant is still a work in progress. MS Dhoni would've been a handful in this chase. But you decided to drop him in the name of "rest" when he's managed to win an away series vs Australia and the first ODI at home vs Australia. #INDvAUS

— Hazardous (@hazardddftw) March 13, 2019

That's the world cup place gone for Rishabh Pant.good for team India.

— apkesh (@Apkeshchan) March 13, 2019

Rishabh Pant's last chance to go to the World cup ends here. He is not going to the World Cup for sure.

— Anuj Khurana (@HaddHaiYaar) March 13, 2019

On evidence of Mohali and Dehi ODIs alone, both keeping and batting, Rishabh Pant doesn’t get into my World Cup squad. #IndvAus

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) March 13, 2019

and there goes another chance begging #RishabhPant #INDvAUS

— reddy (@reddy_rf) March 13, 2019

Rishabh Pant is a waste really. His wicketkeeping has been wasteful in this series and no maturity in batting whatsoever. #INDvsAUS

— VIPER (@KillerViperr) March 13, 2019

India Needs Dinesh Karthik In Place Of Rishabh Pant!!#INDvAUS

— SyEd aLi RiZvI (علي‎) (@Azaan_Rizvi_) March 13, 2019