At 19, who would think of having a First Class triple hundred, the fastest ton in Ranji Trophy and a Rs. 1.9 crore Indian Premier League (IPL) contract? Not many. Well, Rishabh Pant has achieved them already and is well on course to bettering a few more records.
Pant rose to prominence during the U-19 World Cup earlier this year where India made it to the finals. There were mainly two performances where the teenager stole the limelight in the event; an 18-ball half-ton and then a swashbuckling 96-ball Nelson in the quarter-final clash against Namibia.
In the IPL where he played for the Delhi Daredevils in 2016, he scored 198 runs in 10 matches with an impressive strike rate of 130.26.
But it was the Ranji Trophy this season which propelled him to much fame. He started off with a sparkling hundred (146) versus Assam and then in the next game he powered his way to a scintillating 308 of 326 balls against Maharashtra. He missed out on the next two games but made it up against Jharkhand with the fastest century in Ranji Trophy history.
Presently, he is at the top of the run-scoring charts this Ranji season with 874 runs in 6 matches and nine innings with an astonishing average of 97.
Pant says it’s the hard work he has put in the nets for which he is reaping rich rewards now.
“It’s all because of the hard work I have put in the nets and the practice sessions. I was preparing well for this (Ranji season) so that I could be at the top of my game when it comes. I was looking into the very details of my game and discussing it with my coach Tarak Sinha. I also worked extremely hard on my fitness and was planning to not let go of any opportunity, thankfully it has worked out very well so far,” Pant told Sportskeeda.
It all began for Pant when he was in Class I
But it all started off for the left-hander at a very tender age of 6 or 7 when he was in class I. His father wanted him to play the sport and young Pant fell in love with it.
“It was a game I played from my childhood. As far as I can remember from class one I. My father wanted me to play cricket actually and I continued doing so. Later, I fell in love with the sport. I used to play all kinds of sports but my interest in cricket was huge.”
While discussing the fastest Ranji hundred Pant said he wasn’t quite aware of the record when he was batting and his main focus was to get to the triple figure mark.
“No, I wasn’t aware, I was just concentrating on my batting. I only knew I was getting close to a hundred but never knew it would be the fastest one ever. I was just looking at the scoreboard trying to get to the triple figure mark,” he said.
The Ranji team that Pant plays for—Delhi, has seen two of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket. One is Virender Sehwag another Virat Kohli.
Pant agreed there’s a lot he has learned from the pair and felt it has helped him become a better batsman.
“Viru Pa used to tell me how to play cricket on your own terms. Like, play with my natural aggression. He never told me to curb my instincts.”
“With Kohli, I have watched him bat and you try and emulate his consistency. Though I haven’t had many conversations with him, I have tried to pick up things from him when he bats. Like his feet movement, the way he watches the ball closely, his still head. He is so consistent at the international level so why can’t we be consistent here is a question I ask myself.”
“If in future I can more interactions will try and learn everything that I can.”
Pant regrets not getting the opportunity to play alongside Virender Sehwag
Pant regrets he never had the chance of playing alongside Sehwag but believes he cannot just brood over the fact and has to move on.
“It is a regret that I could not play with Viru Pa (Virender Sehwag) , but then again you learn to move over these things and concentrate on the job at your hand.”
India Test team’s regular wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha recently injured himself and the team management decided to call back Parthiv Patel in for the Mohali Test against England when most thought Pant would be called in because of his recent form. Though it did not happen he is surely in the fray with many experts hailing him as the ‘next big thing in Indian cricket’.
When finally he was asked if he was ready for an India call-up, Pant was cheeky, saying,”That I can tell only when I get the chance (laughs).”
“But when it comes, I will be ready. If it, unfortunately, does not, I will concentrate on Ranji trophy and the rest of the season. The call-up is not in my hands.”
Another legend with whom the youngster has been closely associated with is Rahul Dravid. Dravid is still the U-19 coach and under him, Pant thrived in the World Cup at Bangladesh.
Dravid sir has been an inspiration, says Pant
“Rahul sir taught me how to live a disciplined life. He told me how to maintain consistency in top-level cricket. He also discussed with me things I can pick up from different cricketers. He has been an inspiration.”
“I am following whatever he has told me. Like when I am playing IPL with big international cricketers, I am always following them closely. These things are helping me now.”
“It’s been a good start for me to this season. With few more runs and centuries hopefully I will be able to end it on a high.”
Also Read: Rishabh Pant's meteoric rise in Indian cricket
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