Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant believes that while the attraction of the IPL is understandable, young cricketers should always prioritize playing for India, as everything else will follow. Pant, who was part of India’s Champions Trophy-winning team but didn’t play, debuted internationally in 2017. “From childhood, my only dream was to represent India. I never even considered playing in the IPL. I think nowadays, people are more focused on the IPL. It’s definitely a great platform, but I believe if your main goal is to play for your country, then everything else, including the IPL, will naturally come your way,” Pant stated in an interview.
“If you have that larger perspective, success will come. I always had faith that I would play for India one day, and thankfully, I got the chance. I made my debut at 18, and I am grateful for that,” said Pant, who is 27 years old.
Pant is famous for his aggressive batting style, including one-handed sixes where the bat sometimes slips out of his hands. He explained why this happens so often.
“I think it’s mainly because I grip my bottom hand very loosely. I mostly use my bottom hand for support because it can sometimes become too dominant. So, I concentrate on holding my top hand tightly,” Pant explained.
“However, when I stretch too much – particularly when the ball is too wide or too short – it’s not always in the ideal hitting zone. Sometimes, the shot I attempt might only have a 30-40% chance of success, but depending on the game situation, I’m willing to take that risk. That’s my approach.”
“When I take that risk and overextend, I need to do something to keep my balance. It might look like I’m throwing the bat sometimes, but I’m actually just trying to make the most of that delivery. If my bat slips, or if it’s not in my hand, or even if it hits my head – my only focus at that moment is to find the boundary.” Pant mentioned that his background in gymnastics as a child has also been beneficial to his cricket.
“I used to do gymnastics when I was younger. My gymnastics coach always told me it would be useful in life.”
“Basu Sir, our Indian team trainer, once told me in 2018-19, ‘Thank you to your gymnastics coach because what he taught you as a child is still helping you now.’ I kept practicing handsprings, and it has definitely played a significant role in my fitness,” he added.
