‘There was some problem on the screen, couldn’t see timer’ – Rishabh Pant explains DRS mishap during DC vs KKR clash

Rishabh Pant. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Rishabh Pant has been subjected to criticism after he failed to go for a DRS within the stipulated 15 seconds and gave Sunil Narine a reprieve in the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday, April 3 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

The Capitals suffered their third defeat in four matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 as they lost to KKR by 106 runs after conceding a whopping 272/7 in their 20 overs. After the match, Pant was critical of his bowlers and said that they were all over the place.

“Our bowlers were all over the place. We just didn’t turn up on the day. Today was one of those days,” Pant said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

“As a batting unit, we only wanted to keep going hard as a team. I would rather get all out as a team than not go for the target,” he added.

Narine was the star of the show with the bat for the former two-time champions as he annihilated the DC bowlers en route to scoring 85 off 39 balls with the help of seven fours and as many sixes. However, the Caribbean all-rounder could have been dismissed in the fourth over of the innings as Ishant Sharma had got him to edge a delivery to Pant behind the wicket. However, the wicketkeeper hesitated to opt for the DRS and when he eventually made up his mind to go for it, the stipulated 15 seconds had already been exhausted.

After the match, Pant said that the fans were very loud and the DRS timer on the giant screen wasn’t clearly visible from the ground.

“I think it was quite loud here. At the same time, couldn’t see the timer on the screen. There was some problem on the screen. But there are some things you can control, some things you can’t,” said Pant, who also didn’t go for a review when his opposite number Shreyas Iyer edged one through to him off the bowling of Rasikh Salam when he was batting on 3.

Experienced left-arm spinner Axar Patel bowled just one over and conceded 18 runs. Pant said that he didn’t want to bowl too many overs of spin in the high-scoring encounter. However, he expressed his disappointment at how the pacers failed to execute their plans.

“See the thought process was that we didn’t want to use spinners but our fast bowlers were going through the motions. I think it is time for reflection as an individual. We need to learn from these mistakes and come out positive in the next match,” Pant stated.

The 26-year-old returned to competitive cricket after 14 months during IPL 2024. After a couple of scratchy knocks, the southpaw has got his act together and has registered back-to-back half-centuries.

“Doing fine. Getting out there. Enjoying every day but cricket has its own ups and downs,” the Haridwar-born said about his fitness.

Also Read: ‘I was almost embarrassed with our first half of the game today’ – Ricky Ponting after DC’s 106-run defeat versus KKR

Cricket is all about batting so looking to contribute more as a batter: Sunil Narine

After his match-winning knock, Narine said that cricket is all about batting and that is why he looks to contribute as much as he can with the willow. The eventual Player of the Match also picked up one wicket during the DC chase.

“Cricket is all about batting so looking to contribute more as a batter. That said, I still enjoy by bowling,” Narine said.

On the team joke that he does not attend batting meetings, he said, “I have one role and the less I know the better it is for me. At the end of the day it is what the team needs. If they need me to bat, I will bat,” he added.

Also Read: IPL 2024: Shah Rukh Khan gives warm hug to Gautam Gambhir after KKR’s massive win versus DC

Meanwhile, winning captain Shreyas Iyer was effusive in his praise for Narine and Angkrish Suryavanshi, who scored half-centuries against the Capitals.

“As I said in the toss interview, Sunny is there to take on the bowlers, and if he cannot the rest of us should. That’s the plan. He (Raghuvanshi) was fearless from ball one. His work ethic is phenomenal. He analyses situations well. He is a smart batter, shots were pleasing to the eye,” Shreyas said.