"Keep yourself agile" - Rishabh Pant on qualities required to be a good wicketkeeper-batter

Rishabh Pant has been appointed India's vice-captain for South Africa series (Credit: Getty Images)

Rishabh Pant is currently one of the best wicketkeeper-batters in world cricket. He has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, establishing himself as Team India's first-choice gloveman across formats.

However, there were doubts about Pant's keeping skills when he first arrived on the international scene. The 24-year-old worked extensively on his game and the results are there for everyone to see.

He has also been appointed India's vice-captain for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa.

Ahead of the series against the Proteas, Pant pointed out the three qualities required to be a good wicketkeeper-batter. Speaking on a podcast on SGTV, the southpaw said:

"I think one quality would be, you keep yourself agile because in wicketkeeping you do different type of conditions. So if you are agile enough that's going to help a wicketkeeper. Second thing, watch the ball till the end. So, sometimes what happens as a wicketkeeper we tend to know that the ball is coming and we become relaxed. So, till the time you catch the ball, you should watch it. "

He further added:

"And the third one is - be disciplined and keep working on your techniques. Everyone has different techniques but at the same time if you can come closer to the base, that is going to help everyone."

The Delhi cricketer has witnessed a meteoric rise since his match-winning knock at the Gabba Test that helped India defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2020-21.

He has already represented India in 30 Tests, 24 ODIs and 43 T20Is, scoring 3318 international runs in total, including four centuries and 17 fifties.

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"My father was a wicket-keeper too" - Rishabh Pant on why he became a keeper

The flamboyant cricketer is currently one of the most vital cogs in the Indian team across formats.

Revealing how he started wicket-keeping in his childhood, Pant stated:

"I am trying to give my 100 per cent in each game. I was always a wicket-keeper batsman. As a kid I started doing wicket-keeping. My father was a wicket-keeper too. That's how I started wicket-keeping."

Pant was last seen in action in the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading Delhi Capitals (DC) to a fifth-placed finish. He had a good campaign with the bat and will hope to keep the momentum going against South Africa.