Virat Kohli, the skipper of Team India, has shielded the under-fire Rishabh Pant, who has been under severe pressure of late. Neither has he shown consistency with the bat, nor has he shown clean glove-work. The southpaw is being seen as someone, who can take over the mantle from MS Dhoni. The Indian team management has constantly backed the left-hander from Uttarakhand.

Despite repeated failures, Pant has been given chances keeping in mind the T20 World Cup next year in Australia. Amidst all the brickbats for Pant, the Delhi-born Virat has put forth the importance of giving Pant adequate space in order to settle down.

And he said that it needs a collective effort from everyone to allow Pant to settle into a rhythm. “I think it’s a collective responsibility for everyone around us as well to give that player (Rishabh Pant) some space,” Virat was quoted as saying in NDTV Sports.

No player would like that to happen, says Virat Kohli

Virat also lashed out at the crowd at various venues. The same is because of the audience’s behaviour towards Pant when he misses a chance with the keeping gloves or gets out cheaply. The crowd has been chanting MS Dhoni’s name at nearly every blemish from Pant. Kohli has said that the attitude is ‘disrespectful’ and people should be backing the youngster.

“If he misses a chance or something, you know, people can’t shout MS’ (MS Dhoni) name in the stadium, it’s not respectful if I have to put it that way, because no player would like that to happen. You’re playing in your own country and you should get support, rather than thinking what mistake is he going to make, no one wants to be in that position,” he added.

Pant’s next assignment is the T20I and ODI series against the West Indies, scheduled to get underway on December 6. India have been picking Sanju Samson for a few series and it goes without saying that the Kerala batsman is breathing down Rishabh’s neck. Samson was a part of the Bangladesh T20Is, but Pant played all three games, failing to make an impact.