NEW DELHI: During India’s optional nets session at Cantiague Park, Long Island, on Friday, Rishabh Pant energetically practiced his reverse sweeps under the watchful eyes of batting coach Vikram Rathour and head coach Rahul Dravid, who carefully assessed his aggressive stroke-play skills. .
Pant’s prowess was on full display during India’s warm-up match against Bangladesh. Playing on a difficult pitch at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, the left-handed batter scored a fluent 53 runs off 32 balls before getting out, scoring the most important run in India’s 60-run victory in the match warm-up. .
Initially struggling after reaching number three following the dismissal of Sanju Samson, Pant managed just one run from his first six balls. However, he quickly picked up the pace, hitting three sixes off Shakib Al Hasan, including a daring reverse sweep.
Pant showed his versatility by taking on Mahedi Hasan and executing a one-handed strike on Mahmudullah. He also targeted the inverted ‘V’ region, twice taking no-look flicks to Soumya Sarkar’s short, thin leg, using his wrists and hands deftly.
In total, Pant hit four fours and as many sixes, demonstrating his mastery as both spinners and pacers. This performance has prompted the Indian think tank to seriously consider including Pant in the playing XI for the opening match of the campaign against Ireland on June 5.
“As a hitter, he has this ability to explore angles that a normal hitter doesn’t have. He takes different stances and is so strong that he can connect with the ball to hit sixes – with one hand, off-balance or falling all over – you name it, he’s done it. He can hit at number three or four and can even be a finisher – a left-handed hitter with so much power.
“When he is ready, there is no limit to what he can do; he is very, very destructive. During the IPL, people were targeting his stumps because everyone knew he would hit through the would point or cover if someone was playing outside the offside “So he was using that angle and it wasn’t like he was dominating on the leg side,” Capitals defensive coach Biju George said. from Delhi, in a conversation with IANS on Pant’s propensity to take unorthodox shots with ease.
This year’s IPL marked Pant’s much-anticipated return to cricket after nearly 15 months away due to multiple injuries sustained in a life-threatening car accident in December 2022, which included reconstructive surgery on his right knee ligament performed in Mumbai.
George, former fielding coach of the Indian women’s team, followed Pant’s recovery journey closely and finally met him during the Delhi Capitals’ pre-season camp in Visakhapatnam. George believes Pant is relishing every moment on the field and is back to his peak, especially in terms of fitness.
“If you talk about just before this incident and now, he is much better. He is slimmer and fitter now. I first met him when he was around 19 or 20 at the wicketkeeper camp in the NCA. The form and fitness level he had at that time, now we can say he is at the same level, because his skills are also supreme.
“His mind is very, very strong and very focused on what he has to do on the field. He has now realized how fragile life can be and is now enjoying every moment of it. On the field, he is ready to giving everything of himself towards every ball plus he is so intense now when he lines up, guards and hits every ball.
Apart from scoring 446 runs in 13 matches for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, Pant resumed his wicketkeeping duties from the start, showing remarkable mastery with 11 catches and five stumpings. George admitted he was surprised when Pant took over as wicketkeeper for the Delhi Capitals’ campaign opener at Mullanpur in March.
“I was really surprised as I never thought he would stand up and keep wickets during the initial stages of the IPL. Probably, the plan of discussion with the coach was to field at mid- course or mid-course, where there is not much side movement.
“Once he gets used to the load, he would start to hold, probably in the second phase of the IPL. But I was surprised how well he performed from day one, and his stumping of Jitesh Sharma at Mullanpur was incredible.
As the season progressed, Pant mastered his skills more and more, eventually earning a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad. Although some reports suggested that he could be named India’s vice-captain for the tournament, this did not materialize. George noted how he has watched Pant develop as a leader for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024.
“He is literally one of the best cricketing minds you will ever meet. He is always thinking about angles: where to place a fielder and who would be the best person at a particular position. He also inspires bowlers, as he has once said to someone like Ishant Sharma in a game, “no paaji, you are good enough”.
“He has brought the best out of the bowlers and is certainly an asset to the captaincy. He is always around the players, telling them that they have the capabilities to execute as per the demands of the situation, like ‘come on, you can do it’ . I call him one man’s cheerleading arm,” George said.
George believes Pant will perform well in the T20 World Cup because of his ability to adapt quickly. “In IPL 2024, I felt there were a few pitches that were very similar to American conditions. So, I think he will adapt well to the conditions in the United States for the T20 World Cup, because he has already shown his adaptation qualities, while succeeding at Test level.
“He is currently at his best level in terms of keeping up. In IPL 2024, he would join in on-field drills, get going and he would have fun out there. In the World Cup, I think that he will win at least a few matches for India and I really hope he wins the trophy,” he said.
The clash against Punjab Kings at Mullanpur on March 23 marked Pant’s return to competitive cricket action. The sight of him taking to the field and pursuing his greatest love – playing cricket again – brought George to tears and left him overcome with emotion in the DC camp.
The long-awaited opportunity to represent India after the accident could finally come for Pant on June 5 against Ireland, a moment that will spark unforgettable elation among spectators at the stadium.
We would like Pant to continue from where he left off in the warm-up match against Bangladesh last Friday. “I really like this guy and no one thought this (his return to elite cricket) was possible, but that day (at Mullanpur) the magic happened. So many people can take inspiration from him.
“People push you aside but out of nowhere you can come back to be your best. Sometimes you come across people who inspire people and when you are in a dark space you draw light from those people and Rishabh in is part of it,” Georges concluded.
(With IANS entries)
Pant’s prowess was on full display during India’s warm-up match against Bangladesh. Playing on a difficult pitch at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, the left-handed batter scored a fluent 53 runs off 32 balls before getting out, scoring the most important run in India’s 60-run victory in the match warm-up. .
Initially struggling after reaching number three following the dismissal of Sanju Samson, Pant managed just one run from his first six balls. However, he quickly picked up the pace, hitting three sixes off Shakib Al Hasan, including a daring reverse sweep.
Pant showed his versatility by taking on Mahedi Hasan and executing a one-handed strike on Mahmudullah. He also targeted the inverted ‘V’ region, twice taking no-look flicks to Soumya Sarkar’s short, thin leg, using his wrists and hands deftly.
In total, Pant hit four fours and as many sixes, demonstrating his mastery as both spinners and pacers. This performance has prompted the Indian think tank to seriously consider including Pant in the playing XI for the opening match of the campaign against Ireland on June 5.
“As a hitter, he has this ability to explore angles that a normal hitter doesn’t have. He takes different stances and is so strong that he can connect with the ball to hit sixes – with one hand, off-balance or falling all over – you name it, he’s done it. He can hit at number three or four and can even be a finisher – a left-handed hitter with so much power.
“When he is ready, there is no limit to what he can do; he is very, very destructive. During the IPL, people were targeting his stumps because everyone knew he would hit through the would point or cover if someone was playing outside the offside “So he was using that angle and it wasn’t like he was dominating on the leg side,” Capitals defensive coach Biju George said. from Delhi, in a conversation with IANS on Pant’s propensity to take unorthodox shots with ease.
This year’s IPL marked Pant’s much-anticipated return to cricket after nearly 15 months away due to multiple injuries sustained in a life-threatening car accident in December 2022, which included reconstructive surgery on his right knee ligament performed in Mumbai.
George, former fielding coach of the Indian women’s team, followed Pant’s recovery journey closely and finally met him during the Delhi Capitals’ pre-season camp in Visakhapatnam. George believes Pant is relishing every moment on the field and is back to his peak, especially in terms of fitness.
“If you talk about just before this incident and now, he is much better. He is slimmer and fitter now. I first met him when he was around 19 or 20 at the wicketkeeper camp in the NCA. The form and fitness level he had at that time, now we can say he is at the same level, because his skills are also supreme.
“His mind is very, very strong and very focused on what he has to do on the field. He has now realized how fragile life can be and is now enjoying every moment of it. On the field, he is ready to giving everything of himself towards every ball plus he is so intense now when he lines up, guards and hits every ball.
Apart from scoring 446 runs in 13 matches for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, Pant resumed his wicketkeeping duties from the start, showing remarkable mastery with 11 catches and five stumpings. George admitted he was surprised when Pant took over as wicketkeeper for the Delhi Capitals’ campaign opener at Mullanpur in March.
“I was really surprised as I never thought he would stand up and keep wickets during the initial stages of the IPL. Probably, the plan of discussion with the coach was to field at mid- course or mid-course, where there is not much side movement.
“Once he gets used to the load, he would start to hold, probably in the second phase of the IPL. But I was surprised how well he performed from day one, and his stumping of Jitesh Sharma at Mullanpur was incredible.
As the season progressed, Pant mastered his skills more and more, eventually earning a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad. Although some reports suggested that he could be named India’s vice-captain for the tournament, this did not materialize. George noted how he has watched Pant develop as a leader for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024.
“He is literally one of the best cricketing minds you will ever meet. He is always thinking about angles: where to place a fielder and who would be the best person at a particular position. He also inspires bowlers, as he has once said to someone like Ishant Sharma in a game, “no paaji, you are good enough”.
“He has brought the best out of the bowlers and is certainly an asset to the captaincy. He is always around the players, telling them that they have the capabilities to execute as per the demands of the situation, like ‘come on, you can do it’ . I call him one man’s cheerleading arm,” George said.
George believes Pant will perform well in the T20 World Cup because of his ability to adapt quickly. “In IPL 2024, I felt there were a few pitches that were very similar to American conditions. So, I think he will adapt well to the conditions in the United States for the T20 World Cup, because he has already shown his adaptation qualities, while succeeding at Test level.
“He is currently at his best level in terms of keeping up. In IPL 2024, he would join in on-field drills, get going and he would have fun out there. In the World Cup, I think that he will win at least a few matches for India and I really hope he wins the trophy,” he said.
The clash against Punjab Kings at Mullanpur on March 23 marked Pant’s return to competitive cricket action. The sight of him taking to the field and pursuing his greatest love – playing cricket again – brought George to tears and left him overcome with emotion in the DC camp.
The long-awaited opportunity to represent India after the accident could finally come for Pant on June 5 against Ireland, a moment that will spark unforgettable elation among spectators at the stadium.
We would like Pant to continue from where he left off in the warm-up match against Bangladesh last Friday. “I really like this guy and no one thought this (his return to elite cricket) was possible, but that day (at Mullanpur) the magic happened. So many people can take inspiration from him.
“People push you aside but out of nowhere you can come back to be your best. Sometimes you come across people who inspire people and when you are in a dark space you draw light from those people and Rishabh in is part of it,” Georges concluded.
(With IANS entries)