'Rishabh Pant is scared to even hold the ball', says Farokh Engineer

Former India wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer has voiced his support for under-fire gloveman Rishabh Pant. According to the veteran, Pant needs to be nursed and taken care of. While Wriddhiman Saha is India’s preferred keeper for the longest format, Pant has been provided with ample opportunities in white-ball cricket. His poor show behind the stumps has come under the scanner and a sudden drought with the bat hasn’t helped matters either.

Engineer recalled his meeting with the 22-year-old at the Old Trafford in Manchester during the World Cup earlier this year.

We had a long chat for half-an-hour. I wish I had him with me for just two or three nets sessions and he would have been a much, much better wicketkeeper. I have that confidence.

Speaking at the prestigious 11th Dilip Sardesai Memorial Lecture on Wednesday evening, Engineer showed glimpses of his humorous side apart from narrating tales from the 60s and 70s. But that didn’t stop him from showing his concern for Pant, who he felt must be scared to hold a ball due to the persistent criticism.

Now, there are batting coaches, fielding coaches. What can a fielding coach tell Rishabh Pant about wicket-keeping? Everybody is there to criticise the young man. The poor guy has so much pressure on him. He is scared to even hold the ball, in case he drops a catch. He is an extremely talented wicket-keeper, but his technique is flawed. He gets up too soon. These days, they have batsman wicket-keepers and not wicket-keeper batsman.

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However, Engineer had a word of praise for Saha. The Bengal-born cricketer has been at his best behind the stumps and was involved in multiple dismissals in the recently concluded Test series against Bangladesh. The 81-year-old opined,

Saha for example, is a wicket-keeper batsman. He is predominantly a wicket-keeper. He rises with the ball. It’s difficult to stand up and going down again. You are wasting a fraction of second which could be very useful for a quick stumping. You stay as long as you can.