"I started doing wicket-keeping because my father was a wicket-keeper too" - Rishabh Pant
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has evolved to become one of the most vital cogs in the squad. The 24-year-old, despite a shaky start, is now a trusted entity behind the stumps after taking over from the legendary MS Dhoni.
Appointed as vice-captain for the upcoming home series against South Africa, Pant is currently training with the Indian squad in Delhi ahead of the first T20I.
He was last seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, leading the Delhi Capitals (DC) to fifth place in the points table.
In his sixth test match, Rishabh Pant has already broken a wicket-keeping record by taking 11 catches in the Adelaide win over Australia.
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Revealing how he got embroiled in the trade of wicket-keeping, Rishabh Pant said on the SG Podcast:
"I have no idea if my wicket-keeping has got better or not, I am just trying to give my 100 percent every single day. I was always a wicket-keeper batter. As a kid, I started doing wicket-keeping because my father was a wicket-keeper too. That's how it all started out."
Pant was touted to take over the gloves for India during MS Dhoni's twilight years. He is now India's first-choice wicket-keeper across all formats.
Explaining the three primary tips to becoming a successful gloveman, the flamboyant player continued:
"You need to keep yourself agile if you want to be a good wicket-keeper. If you are agile enough, it will help you. Second thing is to watch the ball till the end. Sometimes what happens is that we know that the ball is coming so, we tend to relax, but you should be watching it till you catch it. Lastly, be disciplined and work on the technique. "
The former U-19 World Cup star made his Test debut in England's challenging conditions. The youngster coped well with the moving ball and despite sporadic errors has grown on to become one of the best keeper-batters in world cricket.
"If you can't refresh your mind, you won't be able to give your 100 percent" - Rishabh Pant
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rishabh Pant has been one of the busiest cricketers. Barring a T20I series against Sri Lanka in February, he has been a part of all of India's recent ventures.
#RP17 peppering all parts of the field like 🤩
#YehHaiNayiDilli | #IPL2022 | #TATAIPL | #IPL | #DelhiCapitals | @RishabhPant17 https://t.co/8aXgQWPcIh
Explaining the importance of refreshing the mind amid a jam-packed cricketing schedule, he said:
"When you play throughout the year, you want to refresh your mind, especially with the kind of pressure with which we play constantly. If you can't refresh your mind, you won't be able to give your 100 percent. As cricketers, we need to keep working on our minds and keep refreshing."
Following DC's failure to qualify for the playoffs, Rishabh Pant left the IPL bio-bubble following the end of the league stage in Mumbai.
The wicket-keeper has a lot of cricket to look forward to with Team India's match-ups against South Africa, England and West Indies ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup.