Dial R For Hit Parade

Under Rishabh Pant’s staggering talent lies true grit. He can set the World Cup alight.

- Qaiser Mohammad Ali

HE has raw, uninhibited power, and his shots radiate class. And he can entertain the crowds with humongous sixes, summo­ ned almost at will. He is Rish­abh Pant, India’s most exciting

young wicket­keeper­batsman. A batsman, moreover, cast in the Virender Sehwag­ esque mould ­­not just in terms of brisk scoring, but also in diet. Both were brought up on a heavy, sta­ ple diet of milk that gave them enough strength to smite balls a long distance without a fuss.

But unlike Sehwag, Pant would drink the Maltova-mixed milk directly from the jug, in a few quaffs, so fond he was of it. Pant would also carry two tiffin boxes to school--one to eat during school hours, and the other after his daily extra practice sessions following his classes. Those gruelling sessions comprised running extra rounds to burn calories, besides polishing his wicket-keeping and batting. From an early stage, Pant’s ability to clear the boundary at will left everyone mesmerised, first in domestic tournaments and now internationally.

Pant’s big knocks, studded with massive hits that demoralised opponents earned him the India T20 cap in 2017. The 21-year-old player is now with the Indian team at the World Cup in England, sent as a replacement for the injured Shikhar Dhawan. Pant missed the bus initially, apparently narrowly, but not before the nation debated whether he or Dinesh Karthik was more deserving of a World Cup XV spot. Karthik got the nod; Pant was put on standbye. They may have plumped for experience, that cherished commodity, but Pant has made such an impact on selectors, team management, and fans that despite three wicket-keepers in the squad—M.S. Dhoni, Karthik, and K.L. Rahul—selectors still picked him.