World Test Championship final: Rishabh Pant threw his wicket away for 4 on Day 3 of the historic Test. The young wicketkeeper-batsman chased a wide one from Kyle Jamieson and didn’t look very comfortable during his short stay out in the middle at the Ageas bowl in Southampton

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rishabh Pant got out for 4, didn’t look comfortable during short stay on Day 3
• Pant chased a wide one from Kyle Jamieson in the morning session on Sunday
• India went to Lunch at 211 for 7, losing 4 wickets against New Zealand

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said it will not be ideal to sit down Rishabh Pant and discuss the shot he played to get out for 4 on Day 3 of the World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand on Sunday.

Nasser Hussain pointed out that Rishabh Pant has found success with this aggressive approach in the recent past and there will be times when the young wicketkeeper-batsman will take a chance early in the innings.

WTC Final, India vs New Zealand, Day 3: Live Updates

Pant walked into bat when India were in a spot of bother after having lost captain Virat Kohli to Kyle Jamieson on an overcast Sunday morning at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. With the Dukes ball moving around, Pant found it difficult to get going. The in-form batsman took his time, getting off the mark only in the 20th ball.

However, after hitting a boundary against Kyle Jamieson, Pant flashed hard at a wide one and paid the price as he edged it to the safe New Zealand slip cordon. Jamieson switched the angle as he came over the wicket and the move worked as Pant fell for the tap, chasing a wide delivery.

A lot was expected of Pant after the way he dominated Australia in Australia and England at home ever since he returned to the Test side in the Melbourne Test earlier this year. However, he threw his wicket away early in what has been billed as the ‘Ultimate Test’.

‘Can’t be sitting Pant down’

“How the management handles him going forward is going to be crucial. Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli are the best men to handle him because they have to just let him be. Jamieson was smart, going over the wicket, the angle was perfect,” Hussain told Star Sports.

“It’s a dangerous shot in England but you can’t be sitting Rishabh pant down, asking him ‘why did you do that?’. You just have to let him go and let him express himself.

“He has already won games, India wouldn’t have possibly been here if it were not for some of the great knocks from Pant.

“So you are not going to get the brilliance of Rishabh without an odd shot like the one he played there. The management and handling of him is going to be absolutely crucial.”

India were in a spot of bother at Lunch on Day 3 as they were reduced to 211 for 7. New Zealnad were spot on with their plans as they picked up 4 wickets, conceding just 65 runs. Following Kohli and Pant, Ajinkya Rahane also threw it away for 49, falling for the Neil Wagner short-ball trap. R Ashwin hit a quickfire 22 but his innings was cut short when he chased a wide one from Tim Southee.