Rishabh Pant’s powerful return to form has sent a strong message to the Indian selectors, with his dazzling knock against the Gujarat Titans (GT) virtually sealing his spot as the team’s first-choice wicketkeeper for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Just a month after recovering from a car accident that sidelined him for several months, Pant delivered a spectacular 88 runs off just 43 balls, propelling the Delhi Capitals (DC) to a thrilling four-run victory in a crucial IPL match.
Pant’s fiery innings, coupled with a crucial 66-run knock from Axar Patel, proved to be the turning point for DC, who were initially struggling at 44/3 in the powerplay. Delhi Capitals’ batting coach, Pravin Amre, lauded Pant’s dedication and hard work during his recovery phase.
“He (Pant) started with a two-week camp in Vizag,” Pravin Amre stated at the post-match press conference. “He came there, he prepared himself very well. I remember when he came for the Vizag camp, he came straight to the ground from the airport. He was hungry and made sure every day he was going to utilize. It is all about his hard work, which is paying him off.”
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Pravin Amre further emphasized the significance of Pant’s knock in the context of the match. “Obviously, a couple of good knocks gave him the confidence and today we saw a special knock. Finishing was important, and we saw how Rishabh single-handedly got 31 runs against an experienced bowler (Mohit Sharma), and that really says that he is in good form.”
Axar Patel’s promotion to the No. 3 spot also paid dividends for DC. Amre commended Patel’s performance, particularly his vital partnership with Pant.
“If you remember last year, he (Axar) was the one who was striking well and this season, he batted in the last 4-5 overs, so it wasn’t fair,” Amre explained. “So the whole idea was to give him some chance. Axar played very well, but the partnership he had with Rishabh was striking. We were also struggling, like 46 odd runs we got in the powerplay with three wickets down. Axar has shown and that (partnership) was the reason that we got 96 runs in the last 5 overs.”
Pravin Amre pinpointed Pant’s power-hitting in the final overs as the key factor in DC’s victory.
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“In the first half, it never looked like we could get 180, but from there (44/3 in 5.4 overs), we managed to score that 20 runs extra. Ultimately, they came very close, but in this format, even a one-run win is a victory for us. Our target was 180, but Rishabh was confident and he single-handedly batted very well in the last 5 overs. Mohit is an experienced bowler and to get 31 runs off the last over made the impact,” he said.
Rishabh Pant’s dominant performance has not only secured him a vital position in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup but also serves as a testament to his resilience and unwavering determination. With his return to form, the Indian batting lineup gains a much-needed boost of power and aggression, making them a strong contender for the prestigious World Cup title.
