"Ek saal hua nahi usko cricket khelke, chhakke ka competition kar raha hai" - 3 times when Rishabh Pant was trolled by his teammates
Team India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is an integral member of the squad, not only due to his on-field exploits but also because of his off-field antics. The Delhi Capitals skipper has a great sense of humor and plays a huge role in maintaining a jovial atmosphere in the dressing room as well as during intense situations on the field.
It is well-documented that the current Indian outfit is a close-knit bunch. The dressing room camaraderie has been of the highest importance to the management and the results are there for everyone to see.
Often seen on the front foot when it comes to pulling his teammates' legs, there have been instances where Pant has been on the receiving end as well.
On that note, let’s have a look at some of the occasions where the swashbuckling player was trolled by his teammates.
#1 Rishabh Pant trolled by Axar Patel on Instagram
Modern day cricket often demands cricketers establish a presence on social media. Fans love to get a glimpse of the lives of their favorite players and interact with them. Pant isn't any different and entertains his fans every now and then with his posts.
On one such occasion, the southpaw got the social media universe buzzing with an image of himself along with the caption:
"Class ka sabse shareef ladka (The most innocent boy of the class)"
Having already garnered a reputation for being far from innocent with his timely antics, fans swarmed into the comments section to have a laugh over the irony of the post.
Pant's teammate Axar Patel couldn't resist the temptation of trolling the wicketkeeper-batter. The Team India all-rounder jokingly refuted the claim, calling the one clicking the photograph innocent. Incidentally, it was Axar himself who was behind the lens. The all-rounder left a comment which read:
"wo hai jo photo le raha tha" (The most innocent one is taking the photo)"
The duo share a good relationship and are often seen pulling each other's legs. Axar Patel also plays under Rishabh Pant's captaincy at the Delhi Capitals.
#2 Rohit Sharma trolls Rishabh Pant over six-hitting challenge
One of the squad members that Rishabh Pant shares a special relationship with is Team India skipper Rohit Sharma. The duo arguably have a brotherly bond and have often been seen trading hilarious jabs at each other over the last few years.
One instance that stands out is when Rohit brutally trolled his teammate in an Instagram live session with Jasprit Bumrah. Held during the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the right-arm pacer reiterated Pant's desire to have a six-hitting challenge with The Hitman.
ROHIT absolutely boddied Pant on Insta live by saying
"Sala ek saal hua nahi merko challenge karega? 😂😂😂😂
Watch till ending
#RohitSharma #RishabhPant #Bumrah
(Credits : @Shrutika_05_ via Whatsapp) https://t.co/Kjk22UP0EZ
In his typically nonchalant style, the Indian skipper said:
"Mere sath usko karna hai? ek saal hua nahi usko cricket khelke, chhakke ka competition kar rha hai (He wants to compete against me? He has played cricket for hardly a year and wants to have a competition)."
Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant are considered two of the most explosive batters in modern day cricket and have hit their fair share of maximums on the field.
#3 Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in splits after Rishabh Pant gets hit on the helmet behind the stumps
India hosted Sri Lanka for two Tests and three T20Is in early 2022. The tour began with the first Test at Mohali, where India put on a first-innings score of 574-8. The mammoth total included Ravindra Jadeja's highest Test score and a fiery 97-run knock from Rishabh Pant.
During the latter stages of the contest, with India only three wickets away from a comfortable win, senior pro Ravichandran Ashwin bowled a classic off-spinner, prompting Sri Lanka's Niroshan Dickwella to go hard at him with a sweep shot.
However, the ball bounced a lot higher than he would have expected, catching the Sri Lankan off-guard. The red cherry struck Pant flush on the helmet, the impact and momentum pushing the wicketkeeper to the ground and leading to his helmet coming off as well.
The incident brought a wry smile to Ashwin's face while Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were in splits in the slips. Watch the video of the incident right here.
India eventually wrapped up the proceedings, giving Rohit Sharma a memorable win in his first victory as full-time captain.