In recent times, if no batter from the Indian team can change the momentum and flow of the game in the blink of an eye across the format, then it’s their wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant, who has always been aggressive in his natural game and hardly has the fear of being dismissed.
The left-handed batter had a nightmarish time during 2023 when he missed the action for the entire year after meeting the horrible car accident at the end of the 2022 year. But, he did everything possible for a fast-tracked recovery and made an excellent restart in his red-ball career with a century in the Chennai Test.
Even in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Rishabh Pant, playing for the Delhi Capitals (DC), smashed 446 runs in 13 matches at an average of 40.55 and a strike rate of 155.40, shouldering on three half-centuries with a best score of unbeaten 88 runs.
“Rishabh Pant is so dangerous because”- Mohammad Azharuddin
The former Indian captain of the side, Mohammad Azharuddin, believes that the Delhi batter has been dangerous because of not having the fear of getting out. The mindset allows the batter to play his natural aggressive game, which decreases the pressure on the team’s shoulders.
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“There is no reason for Pant to nurse the fear of getting out, and that is why he is so special and dangerous.” Azharuddin expressed to MyKhel during an informal discussion inside the SG’s head office in Meerut.
The veteran has compared him with the former Australia wicket-keeper batter, Adam Gilchrist, who also was very successful with his aggressive nature of the batting. Rishabh Pant was also compared with the former Indian opening batter, Virender Sehwag, who was so carefree in his batting in the past.
The 26-year-old has smashed 2419 runs in 34 red-ball games at an average of 44.79 and a strike rate of nearly 75, shouldering on 11 half-centuries and six centuries in the format. While in the 50-over format, he has notched up 871 runs in 31 games at a strike rate of over 100, thanks to his five fifties and one century.
Azharuddin also praised Rishabh Pant for making cricket an attractive game. When he was asked to compare the wicket-keeper with one batter of his time, the former captain was quick enough to call the name of the legendary World Cup-winning leader, Kapil Dev.
“Kapil Paaji didn’t have the fear to get out. He was a brilliant batter as well and could hit the cricket ball to great distance.” The former batter remarked.
The perspective of aggressive batting, according to the Hyderabad-born, is “if you are a batter, you will get out”, as he emphasized the importance of scoring runs before you get a great delivery and brings the downfall.
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“He doesn’t let the fear of getting out dictate his play. Instead, he focuses on capitalizing on every opportunity while he’s at the crease, maximizing his impact on the game. This mindset not only defines Pant but also reflects the attitude that great players often embody.” The philosophy of Rishabh Pant’s approach was perfectly painted out by Azharuddin.
India is making their trip to Australia by the end of the year for the upcoming five-match Test series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, and Rishabh Pant, who has already played some incredible knocks in the last two trips during 2018/19 and 2020/21, will have another responsibility to shoulder in the middle order of the batting department.