WTC Final: Don’t want Rishabh Pant to lose his positivity, says skipper Virat Kohli

The inspired show with the ball ensured that New Zealand needed to score 139 runs in a minimum of 53 overs to win the title. Rishabh Pant was the top-scorer for India as he played a knock of 41.

After coming up short in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against New Zealand, India skipper Virat Kohli said that his side does not want wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant to lose his positivity or his optimism about changing a match situation for India. Kohli’s comments came as India stumbled to an eight-wicket loss against New Zealand in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) on Wednesday (June 23) at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. “Look, Rishabh is just going to be a very expressive player whenever he gets an opportunity. Whenever there is a situation that needs to be understood, I think he assesses it really well. When things don’t come off, you can say that it was an error of judgment and that’s acceptable in sport, but we don’t want him to lose his positivity or his optimism in changing the situation for the team, and that’s where his USP lies,” said Kohli, during a virtual press conference. “We will definitely continue to back him to play that way and find ways to put pressure on the opposition and find ways to score runs, which is his natural game. We’re not too worried about that. I think it’s up to him to understand whether it was an error of judgment and rectify it moving forward because he has a long career with the Indian team, and certainly someone who could be a match maker for India on consistently many occasions in the future,” he added.