India’s champion wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant recently spoke about how many emerging cricketers prioritise playing in the IPL rather than representing the country. He believes this is certainly not a good trend and advised young players to focus on playing for the nation first, as everything else will follow thereafter.
Pant, who was part of the Indian squad that recently thumped New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final, did not feature in any matches, as KL Rahul took on the wicketkeeping duties and performed remarkably well.
Speaking about his own journey after India’s triumph, Pant shared that since childhood, his only dream was to play for India, and he never thought about playing in the IPL.
Players prioritising IPL over national duty
“Since childhood, I had only one dream—to play for India. I never even thought about playing in the IPL. I think today, people are more focused on the IPL. Of course, it’s a great platform, but I believe that if your goal is to play for your country, everything else—including the IPL—will eventually fall into place,” Pant told JioHotstar.
Pant on his unorthodox shot execution
While answering about his unique shots, Pant explained that his one-handed shots often result from overreaching during certain deliveries.
“But when I overreach, especially when the ball is too wide or too short, it’s not always in the ideal hitting zone. Sometimes, the shot I attempt may only have a 30-40% success rate, but depending on the match situation, I’m willing to take that risk. That’s my mindset.
“When I take that chance and overreach, I need to do something to maintain balance. At times, it may look like I’m throwing the bat, but in reality, I’m just trying to make the most of that delivery. If my bat slips, if it’s not in my hand, or even if it hits my head, my only focus at that moment is finding the boundary,” Pant added.
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