Time we accept Rishabh Pant for who he is!

It was on a cold December morning in India that history had been created amidst a warm sunny afternoon in Adelaide. An Indian cricket team had just defeated Australia in their own backyard for the first time in the opening match of a Test series. A record waiting to be broken since 1947, not just the year of India’s independence but also the year when an Indian team first traveled down under.

Celebrations were as expected rapturous. A young Indian team that had only begun taking shape in 2018 had finally done something their predecessors couldn’t. 

These were the good old days. No masks, no social distancing, fans in the stands, and media present on the venue to have a feel of the occasion and ask the most important question in the history of journalism and broadcast, “How do you feel?”.

“I was very nervous because they were coming close, but we did well in the end.”, answered India’s 21-year old wicketkeeper. A bubbly youngster who was at the very centre of the Indian cricket fan talks. Known for his swashbuckling cricket and carefree hitting, Rishabh Rajendra Pant had just taken 11 catches in a Test match, record highest by an Indian keeper. One could figure out his emotions with the naive smile on his face as he spoke further. 

“This is my first time getting this milestone (claiming record 11 catches in a Test match), but happy to be winning this Test match. Very thrilled, this is also my sixth Test, that’s why I’m happy for Team India. I always enjoy troubling the batsmen actually (talking about the banter behind the stumps) because I want them to concentrate on me and not on the bowlers.”

Concentrate on me? This was a 21-year old talking at an international cricket pilgrim. I was a 21-year old listening to him on a Television screen in my pyjamas in awe of his sheer audacity. This was Australia he was talking about. This was Australia he was talking from. A country India had managed to beat only six times in seven decades, without ever lifting the trophy at the end of the series. And in that one interview lies all that we need to know about Rishabh Pant. Gutsy and exciting.

Two years and a month later not much has changed. We still attribute these two adjectives with the 23-year old Rishabh Pant. But the more glaring question is have we accepted him for being the same?

On day five of the Sydney Test Pant walked in fresh from the elbow injury that he suffered while batting in the first innings while trying to pull off a Pat Cummins short delivery on day three. Unable to keep the wickets during Australia’s second innings, reports from SCG further suggested that Pant was struggling while practicing in the nets on day four. However, the two adjectives stuck to him under the adversities he and his team were facing.

He walked on to bat when India were 102/3, having just lost captain Ajinkya Rahane to Nathan Lyon on a fifth day Test match wicket with around 100 overs still remaining. In his initial few minutes on the pitch, no one could recognize him. Playing at 5 from 33 balls was far from the Rishabh Pant way of batting. But once he took off, no one could recognize the bowlers against him. Even if it was Nathan Lyon, who is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket since his debut in 2011. But the Nathan Lyon against Rishabh Pant on 11th Jan 2021 was bludgeoned on the pitch left, right, and centre.

Over extra cover, over long-on, through the third man region, down the track, through covers, Rishabh turned SCG into his personal PANThouse. Adam Gilchrist who was on air said he could see a glimpse of himself in the 23-year old. Though it is a compliment that the Indian wicketkeeper won’t like to pay much heed to. Comparisons haven’t helped Rishabh Pant. Or any youngster for that matter.

With Pant on the pitch, India looked set to win a match that everyone thought at best could be defended. He earned the tag of grit, resilience, and toughness as much as Hanuma Vihari, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Cheteshwar Pujara did. In a different way of course. But his way. By playing his cricket. 

Born in Roorkee, a city in Uttarakhand (North India) spread over a flat terrain under Sivalik Hills of Himalayas, Rishabh learnt the importance of being mentally strong very early in his life. At the age of 12, he would travel with his mother to Delhi during the weekends for training at the Sonnet Cricket Academy. The Pants didn’t have family or friends in the city so the mother-son duo would stay at a gurudwara in Moti Bagh locality. His mother used to serve at the Gurudwara, as her son played cricket. 

Tarak Sinha, his personal coach who has been with him since his U-12 days suggested a move to Rajasthan for U-13s and U-15s. Though it wasn’t to be. Whether it was the U-12, the first-class cricket, or even the IPL, Rishabh Pant trusted Delhi to be the heart of his story. A story that was and is meant to travel all around the world. He was of course a pivotal member of Rahul Dravid’s first U19 World Cup Indian team.

There’s a tale about the U-19 player Rishabh Pant that does rounds in the Delhi cricket circuit and defines the tough and resistive for change mindset of the city and its cricket in the best of ways. It was during a U-19 game for Delhi against Assam that Pant top-scored with 35 in the first innings but was severely reprimanded by his coach for giving his wicket away at a hat-trick. Taking it to his chin, he then hit 150 in the second innings which has been described by many as the most important knock in his career. 

And then on 8th April 2017 came the innings that announced a braveheart to the entire cricketing world. Two days after attending the funeral of his father, Rishabh Pant featured for Delhi Daredevils against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The choice of playing the game was also made under the tough circumstances of his mother having undergone a major surgery. The 20-year old went on to hit a blistering 57 off 36 balls (three 4’s, four 6’s). Delhi lost the match but Rishabh Pant had earned the hearts and respect of billions that night.

Whether it was his innings that night, the one against Assam, the 97 in Sydney, or the many that we have seen over the years, the Delhi-based batsman’s approach to the game hasn’t changed. Approach. Not technique, not the intent.

While the technique is something more qualified people than me have touched and elaborated well, it is the intent part that I would like to talk about. I liked the way Sandipan Banerjee drew a fine line between the words, ‘intent’ and ‘approach’ in his piece during the Third Test between Australia and India. 

His point was how often people tend to confuse the word ‘intent’ (which means willingness) with ‘approach’. Which has been the case with Rishabh Pant for most of his international career. No player who has gone through the proper channel to earn a place in the senior team would want to throw away his wicket. 

As far as the approach goes, out of all the post-MSD era contestants for a wicketkeeper spot, I think it has been the hardest road of criticism to trudge for Rishabh Pant. He has been given the most chances. But he also has been reprimanded the most for being himself. Which has always been the one big problem for him. Trying to be Rishabh Pant. 

A player who walks in and charges an assault to no matter who the bowler is and no matter what the situation is. Or as most in India would put it, from the ‘Virender Sehwag school of cricket.’ An approach that just like others gets better as you move from your early 20s, as we have seen with most counter-attacking batsmen. A breed that is still unique to the gentlemen’s game, even 13 years into the IPL. But no one in that breed made it to where they are today by changing their approach. By being someone they aren’t or ever haven’t been. 

The Rishabh Pant at 5 off 33 couldn’t have guided India to a draw. He needed to open up. Even if his elbow wasn’t 100%. Even if this was the mighty Australia. Even if there was a vulnerable and bruised group of batters waiting below. Even if there was a calm figure in Pujara batting in the middle. The legend of SCG needed the storm of Rishabh Pant. His usual self. So does Indian cricket. Then again, the question is, are we willing to accept him finally for who he is? 

A player who has his flaws, who is not perfect, but who is too good a talent to mould into someone else. Just like every human being ever.