Rishabh Pant, India’s dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, believes aspiring cricketers should set their sights on representing the national team rather than being content with an IPL contract. Despite being part of India’s Champions Trophy-winning squad, Pant did not feature in any match. Reflecting on his journey, he emphasized the importance of prioritizing the India cap over the lucrative T20 league.
“Since childhood, my only dream was to play for India. I never even thought about playing in the IPL,” Rishabh Pant shared in an interview with JioHotstar. “Of course, the IPL is a fantastic platform, but if your ultimate goal is to represent your country, everything else—including the IPL—will fall into place.”
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Pant made his IPL debut for Delhi Daredevils in 2016 and received his maiden India cap in February 2017. Having achieved his dream at just 18, he expressed gratitude for the opportunities he received. “I always believed I would play for India one day, and God has been kind,” he added.
People more focussed on playing IPL but one should always aim for India cap: Rishabh Panthttps://t.co/rOEy1Xusux#RishabhPant #IPL2025 #Cricket #IndianCricketTeam #ChampionsTrophy2025 #INDvsNZFinal #LSG pic.twitter.com/2NFGzQCaC2
— NewsDrum (@thenewsdrum) March 11, 2025
Known for his audacious strokeplay, Rishabh Pant’s signature one-handed six often leaves fans in awe. Explaining the mechanics behind it, he said, “It mostly happens because I hold my bottom hand very lightly. I use it only for support, but when it starts dominating, I make a conscious effort to grip my top hand tighter.”
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The fearless left-hander acknowledged that his aggressive approach sometimes carries risk. “When I overreach for a ball that’s too wide or short, it’s not always in the perfect hitting zone. Some shots might have only a 30-40% success rate, but given the match situation, I’m willing to take that gamble,” he explained.
Pant last played competitively for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra in January, scoring 1 and 17 in two innings. While his domestic return wasn’t ideal, the wicketkeeper remains focused on regaining his best form ahead of future international assignments.
