Rishabh Pant reveals determination to excel in longer format of the game after hitting 43-ball 97 to see Delhi edge out Gujarat in high-scoring thriller
Delhi Daredevils' Rishabh Pant hits a six against Gujarat Lions at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Thursday. Pic/PTI
New Delhi: Rishabh Pant has the knack of scoring runs at a fast pace. For this Delhi teenager, clearing the boundary is child's play. Having been brought up on a heavy dose of T20 cricket, he is among the modern-day cricketers who play fearless cricket, unperturbed by the thought of failure. His mantra: Jyada mat socho, bas maro (Do not think too much, just hit).
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Pant is fast gaining the reputation of being the hardest striker of the cricket ball in India. His knock of 97 against Gujarat Lions in Delhi Daredevils' win at the Kotla on Thursday night has only enhanced that reputation.
In this year's Ranji Trophy, he became the fourth youngest batsman to hit a triple century in first-class cricket and went on to record the fastest first-class hundred (off 48 balls) in India to emerge among the top run-getters in the season.
Pant travels the hard way
Hailing from Roorkee, a small town in Uttarakhand, Pant's cricket journey so far has been of sacrifices and courage. When he used to come to Delhi on weekends to attend coaching camps run by famous Delhi coach Tarak Sinha, he used to stay at a Gurdwara as his family could not afford to put him up in a hotel. Ultimately, the coach got him admitted to a Delhi college where he stayed in a hostel to pursue both academics and cricket. Then recently, he experienced the pain Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli had undergone. Pant lost his father just before the start of the IPL and had to rush home to perform the last rites in Roorkee.
The next day, the family members allowed him to join the team in Bangalore and in the first match he got his maiden IPL fifty. He has continued making waves in cricket circles, so much so that there is a great chance of him being included in the Indian team for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Focus on DD, not Team India
However, right now he is more focused on helping Daredevils make it to the play offs than thinking of anything else. "After two successful chases we have the momentum. We have three more home games and a match against Lions in Kanpur. If we continue in the same manner, we can still make it to the top-four." Pant said after the match.
Though Pant favours one-day and T20 cricket, his ultimate aim is to represent the country in Test matches.
"Sir (coach Sinha) considers only Test players as "country" players. Thus, it is my aim to excel not only in the shorter formats, but also play Test cricket. That would be the real gurudakshina (tribute) for my coach," added Pant.
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