Regarding Rishabh Pant, Zaheer Khan, who has followed Rishabh from the ‘under 19’ level, believes that the wicketkeeper-batter has an effect on any game he plays, be it for India or for LSG. An interview’s excerpt:
What are your impressions of Rishabh as a captain?
When he had come back from the India Under-19 side and I had started spending time with him, I was then the captain of the Delhi Daredevils. From then, I noticed that he possesses excellent ambition… he is very aggressive in the competition and is always eager to perform.
You observe how his profession has also changed. He has ensured that he does not abandon the natural instincts and I think it’s going to be pretty much the same with the captaincy as well. The proactive nature is something which we would want to encourage – I mean in terms of decision making. That forms the base of my talks with him too. That is the impressive part.
It is our hope at LSG that the same or similar principles and attitude towards the game that we wish to play and the style of cricket we wish to practice is inculcated in our team. You know, being fearless and having the intent… that is the type of crickets we wish to practice. Without such a mindset, the T20 format is very challenging to handle.
He is only 27. Do you think he is able to motivate his colleagues?
I have no doubt about it. He is someone full of life and that’s something that he feels very comfortable with himself. That is something that he really tries to do all the time. That is always useful in relation to communication and being accessible. Those are attributes that are very important for a franchise cricket environment where there is a lot of diversity. Such a combination calls for those things.
According to the owner of LSG franchise Sanjiv Goenka, he shares a vision with Pant of India in the future.
He is going to emerge as a captain. See, he’s definitely gonna evolve as a captain. I saw him when he was a little kid and was very clear that this player is indeed special – definitely a captaincy material. We are there to guide him, to support him and to mentor him so that he can get better and better. My only doubt is that he’s got a plenty of things to offer and his contribution to cricket is going to be immense. Sanjiv continued, “He’s on that journey, he’s very determined, very excited, and we’re going to make sure that he does evolve in the best way possible.”
He does instill fear in the opposition but he takes a lot of risk, what are your thoughts on his batting?
Sure thing. He relishes the opportunity to engage in the game. The sort of talent that makes him capable of hitting the ball from anywhere…… AP differs in this regard very much. He is a lateral thinker. That is something we would wish to encourage. As for the risk, I have a belief that you should just look at the score and make the move. A game is won on the field. So you should base your decisions on your gut feeling and you should have that power.
That is what I aim to furnish not just for him and the entire team. You remember, we want to foster that culture of having a very open attitude towards the game where people have the freedom to follow their instincts and that’s why I am happy to have a captain who is himself so daring and wanting to take the game all the time. The bottom line is, we are looking for a win. You have to keep looking to win the games and that never say die attitude. All these aspects and attributes are going to be adopted and people will have the ability to express themselves freely.
So, one might wonder whether he can contribute to the Indian side in the Champions Trophy?
So, he is an X-factor player. So, when you are considering having an X-factor player in the fold, then it is going to work to your advantage all the time. That is the reason why expectation are on him, and he is also focused. When you are looking at his and being part of the squad, obviously he is there to make a difference and to be felt.
He has been in the spotlight for the better part of a year now. He returned, lifted a World Cup trophy, lost a home series, went down in Aus, switched IPL teams, and is now the skipper of another new team. Is this scenario ‘too many changes too fast’ for him?
How do you explain a man of his caliber? I talk to him and for some reason, I am able to understand that his life has had its fair share of highs and lows. Regardless of the troubles that he has faced in his life, the pleasing thing is that he has returned to the game and is relishing every moment. He has grown as an individual. I feel he is developing a new outlook towards life. This is certainly going to support him and further his cricket and his personal development. So to say about any cricketer’s life and career, all these happenings can only be salient as far as the outlook you have towards them and how fast you change and grow from these experiences. So, for him, his life is a continuous progression and growing and developing. Hence, Too much too soon is a problem that does not exist at all. All of these events and experiences are bound to aid him in the long run.
You have seen many keeper-batters. Who do you think comes closest to him? MS Dhoni, Adam Gilchrist?
I would say that this comparison is closer to Virender Sehwag. That is the right comparison in the area of style and having that kind of impact at international level, In the business that you’re quoting, there were also other people with the same sort of attitude towards the game. I think there is a resemblance.
He is the costliest player in the IPL history. Don’t you think such a heavy price could bog him down and put pressure to perform?
I think it’s about playing the game and I believe that he is going to play the game the way he plays and that’s what is important.
Mr. Gavaskar reproached him for a shot he attempted in Sydney. Is he a person’s able to take in surveillance and do something about it?
If we talk about batting, I am going to give freedom not just to Rishabh but to each and every batter in that squad, and to back their instinct. Everyone has played the game at different levels for a long time, so they are capable of understanding how the game unfolds. Provided by Laserbook
And by philosophy, I mean there is a game to be played on the field and in that moment you want to take the decision depending on the game in question. And the decision making should never get complicated. It should just be done with a level of simplicity and instinct at that stage while keeping the goal of the team in mind. You are winning collectively and losing collectively. So when you are playing a team sport, this is how you are looking at what the team expects you to do in that situation. That freedom everyone will have. Read More about Cricket Latest News Update, Click Here
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