"When I see the ball, I don't think too much" - 5 savage comments of Rishabh Pant during interviews
Rishabh Pant completed four years of his journey in whites for India today (August 18), having made his Test debut against England on August 18, 2018. The swashbuckling player has given fans countless moments to savor, both on and off the pitch, over the years.
Pant's journey in Test cricket has been a bit of a rocky one as it took him a while to find his groove and consistency. However, to the surprise of many, it is the longest format that he has found the most comfort in at the international level so far.
The Delhi-born batter's unabashed batting approach, coupled with his light-hearted persona off the pitch, bodes for a perfect blend that offers plenty of entertainment. Pant is known to be frank when it comes to his interactions off the pitch and his responses often make waves across social media.
On that note, let's take a look at five savage comments made by Rishabh Pant during interviews.
#1 Rishabh Pant's press conference after his maiden Test outing
Rishabh Pant made his Test debut at the age of 20 at Trent Bridge. He famously scored a six off Adil Rashid to get off the mark, showing a mere glimpse into what the new generation is made of.
Pant was eventually dismissed for 24 off 51 deliveries after being bowled by Stuart Broad.
Following the culmination of the day's play, Pant was asked about his thought process behind stepping out to Rashid to score his first runs. He famously replied:
"I was a little nervous. Everyone is nervous when they play their first match. But when I see the ball, I don't think too much. I just see the ball and react to it. I was just playing normal cricket, that's all."
Pant has since gone onto haunt England with his consistent exploits against the side. The wicket-keeper batter has scored 781 Test runs against the English team at an average of 39.05.
#2 Pant outlines the difficulty of hitting sixes
Right from his U-19 days, Rishabh Pant has had a penchant for scoring sixes. Be it the slog sweep, pull shot, or his famous one-handed shots, he is more than happy to send the ball sailing into the stands.
During an event midway through the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL), renowned TV presenter Vikrant Gupta asked Pant how six-hitting came so easily to him. The swashbuckling batter, who was then part of the Delhi Daredevils, laid the facts out with his trademark wit, saying:
"Aasan to nahi hai, difficult hi hai. Aap logo ko lagta hai ki aasan hai (It is not easy, it is pretty difficult. You guys think it is easy)."
Pant's response drew massive cheers from the crowd present at the event. Even Sourav Ganguly, who was present on stage with the youngster, could not help but smile at the comment.
#3 Pant shares his love for sixers
In the same aforementioned event, Rishabh Pant shed further light on his love behind hitting sixes. In his own way, the youngster explained how it was more of an obsession than a trait he liked bringing out every now and then.
Still remember that Pant's interview with Ganguly and Boria.
I decided to smash 50 sixes in the season before the Ranji started, but I ended up on 49.
Mass💥💥💥 twitter.com/viratian_ammar…
Pant stated that his midset was to just score sixes when he stepped out to bat. He stressed upon the fact that the prospect of hitting sixes was a bigger priority than scoring runs and said:
"The mindset was such that my target for the Ranji season was not to score 1000 runs, instead I wanted to hit 50 sixes."
Journalist Boria Majumdar expressed his surprise at the player having set a 50-six target for the Ranji season. However, the 24-year-old coolly replied by stating that he infact scored 49 maximums in the season.
Pant notably recorded 972 runs, which were glittered with those 49 sixers, in the 2016-17 Ranji season. He also became the youngest captain to captain a side in a Ranji trophy final that season.
#4 Pant doesn't downplay his mic skills
Among Rishabh Pant's countless traits comes his exploits behind the wickets.
Apart from his artful glovework, he is also widely renowned for his witty and sarcastic comments, often recorded by the stump mic. Whether he engages in banter or merely appreciates his teammates, Pant's words end up making headlines.
He shed light on one of these moments after India's massive win over England in the Ahmedabad Test back in 2021. Pant was adjudged the 'Player of the Match' for his scintillating hundred.
During his post-match interview, broadcaster Harsha Bhogle asked him about his ability to entertain with his witty remarks and statements. These have often rendered the commentators obsolete.
In his typically sparkling fashion, Rishabh Pant responded by saying:
"Ab sir ye mera compliment hai. Apko thoda problem hora hai, toh aap log thoda improve kro" (Well sir, it's a compliment for me. But if you have any problem, you guys should improve)."
#5 Pant speaks about the thinking behind his sledges
In the modern iteration of of cricket, professionalism is often placed on a pedestal. However, Rishabh Pant provides a gentle reminder at times that cricket isn't always a gentleman's game.
The wicket-keeper has been on the receiving end of sledging on multiple occasions in the past. Pant has made it a point to give it back but without crossing any boundaries.
Everyone knows that @RishabhPant17 behind the stumps is comedy GOLD but do you want to know the stories behind these #PantMic moments from the man himself?
Then watch the video!
#Dream11
youtu.be/AY-cc8HbPNg
During an interaction with Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues, Pant recalled his infamous back-and-forth sledging saga with Tim Paine during India's 2018-19 tour of Australia. He said:
"I was getting irritated because of that [Paine's sledging], so I thought 'I’m gonna give [it to] him back.' I don’t care who he is, I just have to play my cricket and I have to give him back."
In another interview with Vikrat Gupta, the budding cricketer claimed that he would not back down if opposition players began to sledge him and said:
"My thinking is that, if someone sledges me, why should I entertain that? Just because I do not say anything does not mean you can do that. If someone troubles me, I will do the same."
There will undoubtedly be more such moments to come from Rishabh Pant in the future.
What are the other brilliant comments made by Rishabh Pant that you can think of? Let us know what you think.