‘Itna zyada practice karo ki sochna na pade’ – Rishabh Pant shares insights on perfecting unorthodox shots

Rishabh Pant. (Source -IPL/BCCI)

Not many would have imagined Rishabh Pant to have made the comeback which he’s put forth in the ongoing edition of the IPL, with him being one of the vital vertebrae of the backbone of the Delhi Capitals – with the bat and as a leader. With the highest score of 88* this season as well as 371 runs in ten innings so far, it almost feels that he never had to undergo a 15-month-long hiatus from cricket post a calamitous injury which took place in December of 2022.

Also Read: ‘There are butterflies in your stomach’ – Shreyas Iyer reflects on factors that keep him going on field

Speaking on Star Sports’ Captains’ Speak show ahead of the KKR-DC clash on April 29, 2024, Pant provided an unmediated perspective on how he has managed to flawlessly execute the vast assemblage of non-conformist shots during match situations. 

The 26-year-old put intuition and habitual procedures at the forefront, in addition to a cluster of other underlying factors. He also remarked that the shots he manages to pull off could be labelled as pre-meditated, with Pant’s mind constantly whirlpooling in endless masses of possibilities about where the bowler might pitch the next delivery and what he as a batter can do to successfully counter the outcome the bowler wants post delivering the ball. 

Also Read: ‘People think he is God’ – Navjot Singh Sidhu comes to Virat Kohli’s defence after strike rate remark

At the end of the clip, he also attributed his proficiency to a sort of muscle memory which according to Pant, comes via hours and hours of practice, ultimately making things happen on their own, with the batters knowing where exactly the ball would pitch at the point of release, making the batters weigh their options in a much more lucid manner.