3 things that make Rishabh Pant one of India's better wicketkeepers
As far as India's greatest wicketkeeper-batters go, Mahendra Singh Dhoni stands head and shoulders above the rest. With his calm demeanor, unorthodox style, and eye for detail, MSD is in the top echelons of wicketkeepers this game has ever seen.
If there's one player who can get in and amongst that echelon and perhaps even soar higher, he is Rishabh Pant. The 24-year-old from Delhi has slotted into that role since Dhoni's retirement, taking the mantle and working his way through with a touch of his own charm.
After a few early struggles with his wicketkeeping, he is now undoubtedly India's first choice, ahead of the likes of Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. While he's made waves with his batting, the Delhi Capitals captain's wicket-keeping has grown leaps and bounds.
In this article, we take a look at three things that make Rishabh Pant one of India's best wicketkeepers.
#1 Rishabh Pant is a natural athlete
Alongside the likes of Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian wicketkeeper is one of the best athletes in his team. A gymnast in his formative years, Pant can do variations in back flips, front flips and even the kip-up, which he pulled off on the field in a Test match against England and even on social media, on a few occasions.
Wicketkeeping is usually a thankless job but it requires high levels of fitness, concentration, and skill, especially in the longest format. Pant has displayed all of these qualities mentioned in abundance in recent times, making him one of India's best wicketkeepers.
#2 Excellent hand-eye coordination
One of the most important aspects of a wicketkeeper's game is his/her hand-eye coordination. Every pitch or venue presents its own challenge with some variable bounce or sharp turn. While opposition batters have to be prepared to face those challenges, as do wicketkeepers.
Wicked deflections off the edge, sharp turns from the spinners or steep bounce off the surface, the player behind the stumps needs to be able to counter it all. In 2017, Indian wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha stated that hand-eye coordination is crucial to a wicketkeeper's success. Most keepers wouldn't disagree.
#3 He learned from the best
Breaking into the Indian team at a tender age of 19, the Delhi batter was slotted in as MS Dhoni's understudy quite early in his career. With Thala nearing the end of his career, Pant was groomed and learned from the best in the business.
Wriddhiman Saha's contribution in this was steady as well, filling in for Test matches and providing the youngster with valuable feedback from time to time. The explosive southpaw was making waves with his batting but it was his skills behind the stumps that seemed to hamper his progress.
Now, a few years later, the youngster is undoubtedly India's first-choice keeper in all formats. After learning from the best, he is finally coming into his own. With most of his career ahead of him, who knows, he might end up as India's greatest wicketkeeper too?