Hyderabad: Former Indian pacer Karsan Ghavri termed Rishabh Pant as the "most irresponsible batsman" and blamed him along with the team's underperforming middle order troika of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane for the team's crushing defeat against New Zealand in the World Test Championship Final at Southampton.
"New Zealand deserve to win the Championship. The Indian team were a little overconfident. They were in a dreamland or something. We could have drawn the Test match in fact. But Rishabh Pant went for a reckless shot. He had two lives before that but still couldn't capitalise. He is the most irresponsible player in the last 20 years," Ghavri told Etv Bharat over the telephone.
Pant, who has been in sensational form after match-winning performances in Australia, especially the historic innings at Gabba followed by the Indian Premier League, couldn't replicate the same against New Zealand as expectations from him run sky-high.
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Pant scored 4 runs in the first innings and got dismissed while trying to drive a ball wide from his body. In the second, he was gifted life after being dropped by Tim Southee and yet he continued charging the Kiwi fast bowlers.
The batsman continued with his aggressive method even as the team was staring at a possible defeat with six players back in the hut. The relentless accuracy and pressure by Kiwi bowlers eventually had him at 41 as he went charging against Trent Boult.
"Every match is not the same. Six wickets had already fallen in the match when he was batting. He has got a very beautiful and solid defence. It's just a matter of cool head. He should not have gone for that shot. He could have stretched the match till tea and a draw was always a possibility," the left-arm pacer said.
He criticised Pant saying players like him don't listen as even in the past he has fallen prey to "reckless shot selection".
"He needs to control his temperament. This style of play will not work in Test cricket. You have to play according to the situation. You have to play like you can take it to a draw. I blame him for the loss. This match was 100 percent headed for a draw," Ghavri, who alongside Kapil Dev picked 183 wickets in 27 Test matches, added.
