VIDEO | ‘Pant Review System’ skunks Warner as overwhelmingly confident review ends Aussie’s stay
MS Dhoni, it might just be time for you to relinquish the ‘DRS King’ title, for Rishabh Pant is coming for your throne and how. After the umpire seemed unconvinced that Warner nicked the ball, Rishabh unleashed the ‘Pant Review System’ to assert his authority and end the southpaw’s stay.
The DRS can, sometimes, leave cricketers red-faced and embarrassed on live-television. It was only a month ago that we saw both Aaron Finch and Jos Buttler take preposterous reviews and throughout this tournament, we’ve seen teams clueless as to how to utilize the technology to good effect. MS Dhoni, for instance, someone who is known as the ‘King of DRS’ and has fanboys gloating over the ‘Dhoni Review System’, has himself been appalling with the technology this season.
But one person who seems to love having technology at his disposal is Rishabh Pant. With Warner having gotten to 45 with relative ease, and with the Aussie looking to shift gears, the signs looked ominous for Delhi Capitals. Particularly with Amit Mishra bowling, there was the feeling that the SRH skipper was going to cut loose and hurt the Capitals. Pant, however, through sheer astuteness, ensured that the southpaw bid a premature goodbye to his stay in the middle.
As Mishra angled one across Warner on the third ball of the 10th over, the Aussie, who had successfully executed a reverse-sweep on the first ball of the over, got greedy and attempted another reverse-hit. This time around, he did not make great contact and so the ball whizzed past his gloves and the bat. The keeper, Pant, and bowler, Mishra, appealed instantly in unison, but the umpire was having none of it. And this is where Pant intervened.
Overwhelmingly confident that Warner had gloved the ball, Pant jumped like a madman and, even before consulting his skipper, signalled a review to the umpire. Iyer trusted his man and took the DRS, and the replays, in fact, showed that Warner had gloved the ball. Although the spike was minimal, the third umpire Chris Gaffaney was convinced by a deviation and hence declared the southpaw "OUT”.
The whole Delhi Capitals unit rejoiced and the smart review from the pocket rocket even seemed to have excited coach Punter, who let out a wide grin after seeing the replays. Way to shut down your trolls, Rishabh!