"Can't turn someone into a superhero in two months" - Rishabh Pant on his leadership approach ahead of IPL 2022
Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Rishabh Pant believes that he does not have the ability to transform a player over the course of the upcoming IPL 2022. The wicket-keeper was appointed as the franchise captain last year and will lead the side for the second consecutive season.
| #RP17 is here to talk about the new season, the new team, his bond with @RickyPonting and #IPL2022 taking place in 
🎥 | #RP17 is here to talk about the new season, the new team, his bond with @RickyPonting and #IPL2022 taking place in 🇮🇳💙
#YehHaiNayiDilli @RishabhPant17 https://t.co/BnPpU7vL3e
The 24-year-old endured a successful season in his first season as IPL captain. He led the Capitals into the playoffs as league leaders following 10 wins across both legs.
However, the side lost momentum at the business end of the tournament. They crashed out following successive losses in the IPL playoff match to eventual finalists Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Addressing the need for balance in his role as captain, Rishabh Pant said in an interview with Times Of India:
"There has to be a balance. It doesn't mean I have to be serious all the time just because I have become a captain. But you also have to have serious conversations. There's a difference between changing and improving. For example, fitness is important but you can't only be thinking about fitness."
Claiming that his primary agenda is to win the IPL with Delhi Capitals, Pant said:
"My priority is to win the IPL. I can't change a person in two months. You can provide him an environment to improve but can't turn someone into a superhero in two months. You can't force things on people. But you need to get a person on the same frequency as yours. I am just trying to trust the process which we have created here at Capitals in a few years."
Pant has qualified for the playoffs three seasons in a row with the franchise, including a finals appearance in 2020. Despite being one of the most consistent performers in the recent past, the Capitals do not have an IPL title to their name.
Check out the orange cap in IPL 2022 here.
"When you come to international cricket, people form their own opinions" - Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant made his way into the national team following the retirement of MS Dhoni. The wicket-keeper batter also earned himself a spot in the Test team's playing XI, replacing Wriddhiman Saha as the first-choice option.
Pant enjoyed a record-clinching campaign with the gloves in England in his maiden Test series. However, his at times sloppy and unorthodox glovework and poor fitness became the big takeaways.
Since then, he has evolved to become a force to be reckoned with and has become a reliable wicket-keeper even on challenging surfaces.
Onwards and upwards! 🏆 🇮🇳 #TeamIndia #INDVsSL
#RP17 https://t.co/zfc56u86cl
Attributing the ability to soak up pressure as the key to his improvement, Rishabh Pant said:
"It's more about confidence and doing the same thing again and again. When you come to international cricket, people form their own opinions. People had already decided in their minds that 'yaar, yeh keeping aise hi karta hai (he keeps only this way)."
He added:
"'Every 'keeper will drop chances once or twice. If you can soak that pressure in, you can rise to a different level. It shows in my performance now."
Pant, who was crowned the player of the series in the recently culminated Test series against Sri Lanka, will be seen leading the Capitals in IPL 2022. The franchise will begin their IPL 2022 schedule with a contest against the Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium on March 27.