Cricket
Rishabh is never worried about the pitch: Ravi Shastri hails Pant’s aggressive batting
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Former India coach Ravi Shastri lauded Rishabh Pant’s instinctive and aggressive batting style, highlighting the young wicketkeeper-batsman’s ability to adapt quickly to varying pitch conditions. Rishabh Pant spent over a year on the sidelines due to severe injuries sustained in a car crash on the Delhi-Dehradun Highway. Pant made his competitive comeback in IPL 2024, where he led the Capitals and scored 446 runs in 13 matches.
Pant has since then made his international return in India’s opening match against Ireland, where he scored an unbeaten 36 off 26 balls, helping the team chase down a target of 96 runs. Notably, he executed a reverse scoop for a six in the match. In a high-stakes clash against Pakistan, the 26-year-old played a valiant innings of 42 off 31 balls, helping India set a target of 119 runs. The Indian bowlers then successfully restricted Pakistan to 113 for 7 in their 20 overs, securing a win for the team.
“Rishabh Pant is a naturally aggressive player, you know. He’s instinctive. He’ll react to what comes out of the bowler’s hand,” Shastri said while speaking on Star Sports. “He’s not too worried about what the pitch will do. He doesn’t get that into his mind. He is very clear with his shot selection. Once he knows how the surface is behaving, he’ll back his strength.”
Pant’s disregard for pitch conditions is seen as a testament to his confidence and skill, allowing him to play his natural game regardless of the challenges presented by the wicket. Shastri emphasized that Pant’s mental clarity and decisive shot-making set him apart, making him a formidable force in any situation.
Steve Smith, who was also part of the discussion, praised Pant’s technique and adaptability. “I think he’ll look to use the pace as much as possible with the seamers and spinners. He will look to play that reverse and slog sweep that he plays really well,” Smith said. “I thought he played really nicely the other day against Pakistan. He’ll be looking to back it up again today.”
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