Rishabh Pant
It has not been a great year for 23-year-old Rishabh Pant. From getting sidelined from India's limited-overs side to delivering below-par performances in the on-going IPL edition-- the southpaw's struggle to achieve consistency has been a stumbling block for him.
A vital cog in the Delhi Capitals' wheel, Pant has been struggling with his bat in the UAE. He has scored 274 runs in 10 games in the tournament at an average of 30.44 and a strike rate of 112.29. In his previous game against Mumbai Indians, the wicketkeeper-batsman managed to score only 21 runs in 24 deliveries when his team needed him the most.
Moreover, Pant's issues with his weight has also been a topic of debate. According to reports, his poor fitness standards has been the reason behind his oust from India's limited-overs side for the Australia tour.
Reacting to Pant's recent struggles, Tom Moody has said that the youngster didn't arrive in his best shape in the UAE, leading to his mediocre performance in the IPL.
“I think one of the things that have derailed IPL to this point is because of how he arrived at the IPL. From my understanding, his condition was not in a place it needed to be in," said Moody in an interaction on ESPNCricinfo.
“I respect the fact that everyone has been in lockdown and there have been challenges around that, but to me, there is no excuse. Absolutely, no excuse. We are not playing in the 80s or the 70s,” Moody further said.
Moody believes Pant's current physical state led to his injury, derailing his momentum in the league. He also pointed out that Pant should've idolized someone like Virat Kohli when it comes to achieving fitness.
“The Indian team has arguably the best of the role models when it comes to preparations and welfare in their captain in Virat Kohli. So, there is absolutely no excuse,” he said.
“So, that derailed Pant not only physically but also mentally. And then he got injured. Surprise, surprise. I wonder why he got injured. Because his condition was nowhere near where it needed to be. You need to help the player regain his focus and understanding. Understand and accept the mistakes, and put it behind and move forward in a positive direction,” Moody concluded.
