IND v SA | Rishabh Pant was very good, went to the right people at the right time: Graeme Smith

Former South African captain Graeme Smith praised Indian captain Rishabh Pant after the hosts' loss in the first T20I.

Smith had earlier mentioned that he was interested in seeing Pant lead after his not-so-successful stint with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Coached by Ricky Ponting, the Delhi franchise finished fifth in the points table.

According to HindustanTimes, Smith said the youngster looked much better last night with his decision-making.

"You always criticise a captain when you lose. He has to take a lot on his chin. Post his (Pant's) last game for Delhi Capitals, which was a must-win, and he made some tough calls in that match, I was very interested to watch him. But I think tonight; he was very good. He went to the right people at the right time. He tried to stay in the game," Smith said.

Cricket pundits in the IPL raised concerns over Pant's decision-making with the bowlers. As a result, he was unable to complete their bowlers' full quota of overs.

South African pair David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen shared a 131* -run partnership for the winning cause, chasing a target of 212, which handed the visitors a 1-0 lead in the five-T20I series.

Out of these 131, South African batters chased 108 runs in the final eight overs, with the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Avesh Khan getting routed.

Smith further explained what Pant did right as the India captain.

"When South Africa were under pressure, he went to Harshal Patel and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar). All in all, he made a lot of right decisions. At times, they won't work out because your bowlers have to deliver; you have to execute. But I think he can look back and say, 'I made the right decisions at the right time'. I think he can gain some confidence after his outing this evening," the left-hander concluded.

The second T20I will be played on Sunday at Cuttack.

Pant, appointed vice-captain for the series, took over as captain after KL Rahul was ruled out with an unfortunate injury a day before commencement.