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Cheteshwar Pujara revealed that Rishabh Pant struggles with DRS calls, often blaming batters.
Rishabh Pant (BCCI Photo)
India Test star Cheteshwar Pujara has revealed that Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant has a huge weakness in making Decision Review System (DRS) calls, jokingly saying that the wicketkeeper-batter often ‘doesn’t have a clue’ of the ball trajectories and ends up blaming batters for it.
Pant is having a tough time in IPL 2025. Although LSG have done well to hold on to the fifth spot so far, his batting and on-field captaincy have been sub-par. The ‘keeper has only got one DRS call correct in eight matches — to overturn Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Quinton de Kock’s not-out call on the field.
On Tuesday, when LSG lost to Delhi Capitals at home, he was seen irked with bowler Digvesh Rathee after Pant’s decision to opt for DRS was unsuccessful on his bowling.
“I have had so many conversations with him in Test format,” Pujara said on Pant in a conversation with ESPNCricinfo.. “So I know that he doesn’t have a clue of where the ball is going. Being a wicket-keeper, he should know, and he will end up blaming me that I don’t know.”
Pujara is not the first India Test player to criticise Pant’s issues with DRS. Even jokingly, Ravichandran Ashwin was quite critical of him not helping the bowler during these moments four years ago.
“I think we need to change the lens with which people are looking at me with the DRS,” Ashwin, a guest at the India Today Conclave 2021, said. “Sometimes what people are telling us might not be true, because before this series against England, my DRS was extremely good. Because when you take DRS, you need to rely on the keeper’s resources.
“Because I ask valid questions in terms of saying… I know whether the ball has struck in line or not, but with respect to the line from the angle that I am bowling and the bounce, the keeper really needs to help. And Rishabh is actually letting me down on a lot of occasions. I took him aside and I said, ‘we need to sit together on a crash course with DRS, because Ravi bhai (Shastri) has a few complaints with me going for DRS’,” the spinner added.
LSG will play against Mumbai Indians on Sunday (April 27).
