Debutant Pant ready to grind it out in Test arena
In redball cricket, with the field placements, you can look around, take your time, because you have five days to play. RISHABH PANT, On playing Tests
NOTTINGHAM: Rishabh Pant was handed his Test debut on Saturday, the 20-year-old wicketkeeper given a great chance to shine as India battle to find their way back in the England series.
Pant, known for his explosive batting, replaced a struggling Dinesh Karthik in the third Test at Trent Bridge. It will be a test of his technique behind the stumps and in front of it as he will be needed to rein in his attacking instincts as a batsman.
The Delhi player had won the confidence of junior coach Rahul Dravid, who gave his stamp of approval after some good knocks with India A on their England tour before being included as back-up keeper. He will now have to justify the faith shown in him by India skipper Virat Kohli.
“Rishabh has the temperament and skills to bat differently,” Dravid had said. “He is always going to be an attacking player, but reading of the situation when one is playing red-ball cricket is required. We are glad he has been picked in the national team and I hope he takes this maturity and builds thereon.”
Pant, 20, knows what it means to battle the odds, especially in swinging conditions. The Roorkee boy had it rough chasing a cricket career before making it to the
Delhi team and rising with the India U-19 side and then in IPL.
Pant came into the squad only due to first-choice Wriddhiman Saha’s injury. A good show will also impress national selectors as the 2019 World Cup in England approaches.
Pant will have to learn on the job. He has played only four T20s for India, and in 23 first-class games, has 66 catches and seven stumpings. He has made a mark in Ranji Trophy, smashing 308 versus Maharashtra in the 2016-17 season, after making an impression in the U-19 World Cup in 2016 with Dravid as coach.
In England this summer, he hit 64 not out for India A to beat England Lions in the tri-series final. In the first-class games, he hit 67 not out against West Indies A and 58 and 61 in the unofficial Test against England Lions at Worcester, in a big loss. “On this trip, we challenged him to bat according to the situation,” Dravid had said.
Pant was positive after his selection to the India Test squad. “There isn’t much difference between white-ball and red-ball cricket. Only, you have to be more selective with your shots. In red-ball cricket, with the field placements, you can look around, take your time, because you have five days to play,” he told bcci.tv.
Pant is a fan of Adam Gilchrist, who set a benchmark with his explosive batting at No 7 in Tests, a spot the young Indian player is also likely to bat in.
He expects to put Dravid’s advice into practice. “The only thing Dravid always tells me is that you need to be patient about everything, be it on the field or off it. Also, how I need to work harder when it comes to red-ball cricket since I’m a positive batsman, but at times you need to play to the situation.”