A meteor had showered last week in the State. And, the nomenclature answered to the name of Rishabh Pant who has made the cricket sphere tout as the precocious Southpaw is said to be the next big thing to unfold in Indian cricket.
The recently-concluded Goa Corporate League 2017 had the privileged thousands witness the pugnacious pint-sized batsman-keeper scythe into attacks and in the aftermath of it all earn himself the Man of the Series honours for amassing 344 runs from five visits at the crease with an enviable average of 68.80 and a stupendous Strike Rate of 234. Blessed with impeccable hand-eye coordination, power-hitting ability and a devil-may-care approach, Pant was a cynosure of every cricket fan’s eyes.
Shortly before going out to wield his blazing blade that fetched him a record 180 from a mere 70 balls with 17 boundaries and 15 sixes in the semi-finals against Air India, the nineteen-year old unassuming cricketer from the hills of Uttarakhand had an exclusive tête-à -tête with The Goan Everyday.
The soft-spoken Pant enjoying his Corporate Trophy stint with the GCL revealed that it was an experience to remember with good crowds filling up the stands at the GCA Academy Ground in Porvorim. Coming to play cricket in Goa for the very first time apart, he divulged that Goa was just the place to be to unwind himself with its beaches like Baga and just basically feel relaxed.
Coming to his first game with India at the T20 level against England early this February, Pant stated that it was a proud feeling for him and his family. “Everyone who plays cricket thinks of playing for the country and that was the moment when I got a call and I was so happy at that time,” he answered with pride. Though he barely got much of a stay at the wicket in his first international outing, staying unbeaten on 5 from three balls was one to savour. “I was pretty confident when I went out to bat as at that time Mahi Bhai was batting. He told me, just to see the ball and hit it and not to think of anything else,” the diminutive talent disclosed.
The precocious Delhi-based wicketkeeper-batsman has had a quick rise through the grades from the age group level to making it to the Junior World Cup, announcing himself on the domestic circuit and earning an international cap while still only 19. Has this meteoric transition sunk in yet? The young Pant had this to reply. “I am not thinking all these things. I was in a process. I was doing well at the Junior Level then got an opportunity for U-19 India, done well over there, then the IPL, then this season Ranji Trophy I was doing things right. Everything was going right for me and it worked out. I was working hard in the off-season, worked on my fitness, my wicket-keeping. That is what helped me this season,” the level-headed Indian cricket sensation stated.
The Roorkee, Haridwar born Pant was initiated into cricket by his father who wanted him to play the game right from a young age. “I have been playing cricket since I was in Class I. I never thought I would play professional cricket as I was so young at that point in time. It was only after Class VI or VII, I decided to play cricket and my father supported me very well,” Pant said.
But to make a mark for himself as with any cricketer, never came to him a platter and especially since he did not hail from a cricketing hub. “Everyone has a hard time, and it did not come easily to me as well. With my State Uttarakhand not having any affiliation to domestic cricket, I had to go out somewhere else to play the game,” Pant revealed. But his initial days as a cricketer were rather nomadic and trying to find acceptance to his hidden talent. “I travelled to Delhi then to Rajasthan and finally returned to Delhi. It has been a long travel for me but it is fine now,” he added. His move to Delhi while in Class VII proved to be turning point of his fledgling career. To date, he says he does not know how he got into the prestigious Sonnet Club, a cradle which has seen many go on to represent India at the highest level. “I asked one of my cousin sisters if there is any good Club in Delhi. There was an advertisement at that point for a summer vacation camp for Sonnet. Trials were taken for admission which happened to be the only Club doing so. I gave the trial, got selected and after that my journey started,” going back memory lane he revealed.
On being mentored by Tarak Sinha, the Coach at the Sonnet Club, he had this to say. “It was a good experience. When I first went to Sonnet Club, Tarak Sir was in Rajasthan. I met Devender Sir and I was luckily good enough to play in the U-13 Salt Cup wherein he (Tarak Sir) came to see that match. I played very well scoring an unbeaten 155 in some 76 balls. After the match, Tarak Sir called me and asked if I would be happy if I were to play for Rajasthan. I was shocked at that time, did not think of anything else but replied, yes, I am fine with anything. I was 13 at that time and in that year I played both U-14 and U-16 level cricket for Rajasthan. Though I performed at the District Level, I did not do well at the State Level and was subsequently dropped from the team. I was nowhere. Then I started playing District Level cricket again, but due to some problems arisen I lost that opportunity as well. This prompted my shift back to Delhi whereby I played local cricket for two years scoring a lot of runs in Junior and Senior Levels in Delhi District. On getting a good name there, I went for U-19 State trials and got selected in the Delhi side at that level.”
On his performances that made him go a step further to being a part of the India U-19 World Cup side, he reveals that year he was the third highest runs-getter of India at the U-19 level. “In the full season, I scored some 1400 or 1500 runs at the U-19 level for the State/Zone,” Pant said. Talk on his memorable moments at the Colts’ World Cup of 2016 held in Bangladesh, the reply came promptly. “That would be my fastest fifty at the World Cup which came in 18 balls against Nepal. I eventually scored a 24-ball 78 on the day. Because whosoever plays the World Cup, my name would be there. That is what I was trying to do as it was my last chance playing the World Cup. I wanted people to remember me for something like that,” he said.
His burgeoning talent found him picked ahead of IPL 2015 by Delhi Daredevils for a whopping 1.9 Crore beating off competition from three other franchise bidders. Talking of the experience with DD, he says it has been very good. “If you are an IPL player still U-19, people are so supportive. They give you confidence and the environment is very good. For a youngster, you have to learn from the foreign and Indian international players. If you want to learn something, you can easily learn from them but you have to ask them and try and learn from them. It is a very good opportunity for a youngster like me,” Pant stated. On the advice given to him by his franchise, he said he was worried about his chances and if he would get to play in the matches. “Rahul (Dravid) Sir told me do not worry, you will get your chance,” Pant stated. “We do not want you to feel that you do not belong here. You must be confident enough to bat over there. It does not matter if you score or not but you must be confident,” he further added on the advice he received from the former India cricketer. Not too long ago, Pant was on the radar for Test cricket after regular wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha was laid low due to injury in the home series against England. How did it feel to be in the scheme of things at the highest level at such a young age was an imperative question put forth. “I do not think of that too much. I am only concentrating on my game, whichever match I am playing, be it domestic or IPL. I do not think like I will get selected here or there. I just want to perform. It depends on the selectors if they select me then it is fine,” Pant answered. With gifted players like Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma, unable to translate their one-day performances to the Test level with their technical shortcomings, would he look to refine his batsmanship? To which young Pant shot back. “It is not written anywhere that you have to be technically very good to play Test cricket. You should know how to make runs everywhere. Be it Tests, One-dayers or T-20s. How can you say that I am not technically good? Is it a decision of the coach or you saying such things in the media that is not fair,” he questioned. Pressing on the point further, this reporter mentioned that these aforementioned batsmen who score heavily in a 4 or 5-day match at the domestic level are unable to translate their performance to the Test arena. With this in perspective, would he work on his technique to excel at the highest level? “I am not thinking about that too much,” he countered.
