Watch: Rishabh Pant drops Will Pucovski twice as his wicket-keeping struggles continue

Rishabh Pant handed Australia’s Will Pucovski lifelines as he dropped him twice on Day 1 of the Sydney Test. The Indian wicket-keeper first dropped Pucovski’s catch of Ashwin’s bowling, before dropping another a few overs later. Pant’s dropped catches have once again highlighted his deficiencies as a Test keeper.

The video of Rishabh Pant’s dropped catches were uploaded by Cricket Australia online, and many reacted to the Indian's poor wicket-keeping on Day 1.

Pant gives Puc a life! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/PwhpHuJI4D

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 7, 2021

The first incident occurred on the last ball of the 22nd over, with Ravichandran Ashwin bowling to Will Pucovski. The off-spinner beat Pucovski with a beautiful delivery, as it kept straight after pitching outside off. The Australian batsman managed to nick the ball as he played for the turn, and it looked like Rishabh Pant would complete a routine dismissal.

However, Pant dropped a regulation catch, with Ashwin visibly distraught with the wcket-keeper. The spinner was celebrating the wicket for a moment before finding out that the catch was dropped by Pant.

Rishabh Pant drops Pucovski as few overs later again

Indian players during Day 1 of the 3rd Test

As if dropping the resilient Will Pucovski once wasn’t enough, Rishabh Pant made a mess of another chance a few overs later. India thought they had dismissed Pucovski, after a well-targeted Mohammed Siraj bouncer hit the Australian on the glove, as Pant completed the catch running backwards.

Although the soft signal was out, replays showed that Rishabh Pant had dropped the catch. The wicket-keeper failed to hold onto the ball for the first time, before grabbing the ball in his second attempt. However, the ball had touched the ground by then, as Will Pucovski’s luck on his debut continued.

A rollercoaster of emotions for Will Pucovski! Initially given out, but on closer inspection he's recalled to the crease! #OhWhatAFeeling@Toyota_Aus | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/WgT5lCRjAE

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 7, 2021

The two mistakes by Rishabh Pant will once again bring up the discussions regarding his wicket-keeping skills. With Pant dropping the dangerous Pucovski twice, fans will be left wondering about what might have been had he held onto the chances.

With Will Pucovski looking solid on debut, it remains to be seen whether the dropped chances will come back to haunt India and Rishabh Pant. Will India rue not selecting Wriddhiman Saha, who is a better wicket-keeper? Only time will tell.

Since the start of 2018, Rishabh Pant averages 0.86 dropped catches per Test played.Of all keepers to play 10 matches in that time, Pant's drops-per-Test record is the worst.#AUSvIND

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 7, 2021