Had Chills When Pant Came Out To Bat: Hope

WHEN Rishabh Pant walked in at the fall of David Warner's wicket in the first game against Punjab Kings, Shai Hope, the other batter in the middle, experienced 'chills'.

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

"I was there when he walked out to bat and it gave me chills to see how the crowd reacted," he tells this daily. "It was an away game for us but to see that... it's great to see that he has recovered from that incident. Hopefully he can go from strength to strength and show the world what Pant has to offer." with what the team management has told Hope this year.

"Be yourself, there's a reason why you are here. Be who you are as a batter or as a bowler." In the first game, he was sandwiched between two ultra aggressive openers (David Warner and Mitchell Marsh) and Pant. Does that mean his role is that of an anchor? "You have to assess the conditions," he said. "How you play depends on the situation of the game.

Those guys are quality batters and to have them at the top, any bowler seeing them at the crease would give us an edge. It's good to have such qualities. Hopefully the experience translates to solid runs and solid wins for the team." Hope, who made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in that game, takes this daily inside the franchise dressing room on the morning of Pant's return to competitive cricket.