"Allow Me To Focus": India Great Reveals How Rishabh Pant's Stump Mic Antics Left Him Furious
Over the years, Rishabh Pant has kept fans and fellow cricketers amused with his witty comments from behind the stumps.
- Rishabh Pant is known for his aggressive batting and entertaining stump-mic antics
- Cheteshwar Pujara found Pant's constant chatter behind the stumps occasionally irritating
- "Had to tell him, 'Please allow me to focus.' If you want to have a chat, you can with other players," he said
Rishabh Pant is widely regarded as one of the finest batters of the modern era. The 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has broken numerous records with his aggressive style of play, even after making a remarkable comeback from a life-threatening accident. Alongside his exploits with the bat, Pant has also earned a reputation for his entertaining stump-mic antics. Over the years, Pant has kept fans and fellow cricketers amused with his witty comments from behind the stumps. However, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara recently shared a different perspective, admitting that while he finds Pant an interesting character, his constant chatter occasionally left him irritated.
Speaking on Sony Sports Network during the first Test between India and Sri Lanka, Pujara recalled an incident when he had to ask Pant to stop talking and "let him focus" while batting.
"It is very entertaining. If you are in a phase of a game where things are not moving, there's a big partnership going on, and whenever Rishabh Pant is around, you have that banter and fun moments. But I used to get irritated at some point. I'll be very honest. When the ball was new, I was standing at first slip. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami are bowling," Pujara said on the Sony Sports Network.
"There's very little time if the ball has nicked and I have to catch it. And he will keep talking and asking me questions because he likes to be in that zone. And I want to focus, but he keeps irritating me. So I had to tell him, 'Please allow me to focus.' If you want to have a chat, you can with other players. But I don't mind chatting between the balls. But he is a lovely character," he added.
Earlier, former India batter Ajinkya Rahane had also expressed a similar view, stating that Pant's continuous chirping from behind the stumps can sometimes distract the bowlers.
"He is always like this. He is very entertaining. The Sri Lankan players don't understand Hindi, but if you keep talking like this, the batter's focus wavers. You have to focus in the slips and at short leg, and the bowlers start getting angry. If there is an edge and the ball goes by your side, and you are not able to put in your best effort, the bowlers get angry," said Rahane.
India Cricket Team
Sri Lanka Cricket Team
Rishabh Pant
Cheteshwar Pujara