- In Delhi vs Rajasthan Match, Rishabh Pant was seen disrespecting Umpire’s authorities
- There is a very fine line between success and failure, and that line is called discipline
- If Rishabh fails to contain his aggressive instincts, then it is only a matter of time before he disappears from the scene.
The arrogance of modern-day cricketers knows no bounds. It looks as if playing cricket is not the ultimate motivation for them. Rishabh Pant is no different. The way he conducted himself in a recent IPL match demands strict scrutiny and the man needs to be stopped before he becomes Frankenstein Monster for his own team.
Nail-biting finish
On 22nd April 2022, Delhi Captains and Rajasthan Royals were in for a neck-on-neck battle. Riding on the back of a scintillating century by English wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler, Rajasthan Royals asked Delhi Capitals to chase down 223. Unfortunately, the Capitals lost abnormally high numbers of wickets in the middle overs, which led to them requiring 6 sixes to be hit off the last 6 balls.
But you cannot sit idle when a West Indian is on strike. A power athlete named Rovman Powell was on strike. The man is known for his big-hitting abilities. He had a slow start in the match, but with nothing to lose in the last over, Rovman went full throttle on Obed McCoy. With typical West Indian long levers, Powell pummelled Obed for 3 consecutive sixes.
Out of these three, the second one set the momentum in Delhi’s favour. McCoy bowled a wide Yorker on the 7th stump line, but any length inside the tram line (wide) rarely matters when a West Indian is on strike. Powell flayed it over extra cover for a flat-six. McCoy was devastated. All those practices, all those warm-ups looked in vain.
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Controversy erupts
Underconfident McCoy ran in for the next ball. He ended up bowling a high full toss which was dispatched over the Wankhede roof by Rovman. The pressure was on McCoy and Rajasthan now. However, Delhi Captain Rishabh Pant seemed to be in another world. As the ball was a high full toss, Powell and his non-striker asked the Umpires to check for a no-ball.
Umpires refused to do so which sent the Delhi camp into a frenzy. The most animated of the bunch was Delhi Captain Rishabh Pant. Standing beside the boundary line, Pant signalled his batsmen (Powell and Kuldeep) to come back if the Umpire refuses to refer the decision to the third umpire. Powell and Kuldeep in fact did take a brief stroll for a while, but Yazuvendra Chahal, Kuldeep’s bowling partner in the Indian Cricket Team persuaded him not to do so.
Pant made Delhi lose the game
On the other hand, Jos Buttler was seen having a chat with Rishabh on the boundary line. Along with Jos, Delhi’s assistant Coach Shane Watson was also seen counselling the hot-headed wicketkeeper. However, Pant was not ready to listen and he sent assistant Coach Pravin Amre to talk to umpires and possibly convince batsmen to return.
Thankfully, the matter did not escalate further and Powell was back on strike. However, the drama around the issue provided McCoy with all the time in the world to regain his composure and make a new strategy. The man who was trying to send down only Yorker length deliveries bowled a slower short on the very next ball. Powell missed it and boom the match was over for Delhi Capitals.
Pant and Ambre fined
The IPL managing body has taken strict action against the individuals responsible for the matter. Assistant Coach Pravin Amre and Captain Rishabh Pant have been fined 100 per cent of their match fees for breaking the code of conduct. Ambre will also sit out of his role for one match in the tournament. Shardul Thakur has also been fined 50 per cent of his match fee.
Disrespect for authority stems from too much attention without much achievement under the belt
Unfortunately, the modern-day players have no respect for authorities officiating these matches. The introduction of the Decision Review System (DRS) has only exacerbated the legitimacy crisis being faced by the Umpires. Players are seen copying Umpire’s decisions and making fun of them in front of TV cameras. Many times, players are seen standing in open defiance of Umpires.
In 2019, Kieron Pollard was fined for disobeying Umpire’s decision against India. In the IPL edition of the same year, MS Dhoni of all people was observed doing something similar to what Rishabh Pant did against Rajasthan. Despite being out of the playing area, Dhoni stormed in to protest against Umpire’s decision.
Pant needs to pause and think
This arrogance is nothing but the result of giving too much priority to players. Modern-day players are given too much attention, which often has nothing to do with how they perform. A case in point is Hardik Pandya, who has lost his track in the international arena. When Pandya emerged onto the scene, he was being touted as the next Kapil Dev. But, 5-6 years later, due to his indiscipline and disrespect for the game, he is nowhere in the fray and the team seems to have moved on beyond him.
Read more: The arrogance of an overpaid underachiever called Hardik Pandya
Rishabh Pant should understand that despite his reckless pyrotechnic, he was entrusted by authorities due to which he is here. If he does not discipline himself, it won’t take long for the team to find his replacement. It hurts, but everyone moves on Rishab, so better get yourself in order.