If your goal is to play for the country, everything else, including IPL, will fall into place: Rishabh Pant
"I always believed that I would play for India one day, and God has been kind. At 18, I got the opportunity to make my debut, and I am grateful for that," Rishabh Pant said.
Rishabh Pant was a part of India's squad, which won the Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday, March 9. However, he did not get a game as the team management backed KL Rahul as the wicketkeeper-batter, and the Karnataka cricketer fared commendably.
In a recent interview, Pant spoke about the importance of wanting to play for the national team. The 27-year-old opined that some cricketers look to play only in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He advised budding cricketers to set their sights on playing for the country and the rest, including playing in the IPL, will fall in place.
"Since childhood, I had only one dream—to play for India. I never even thought about playing in the IPL. I think today, people are more focused on the IPL. Of course, it’s a great platform, but I believe that if your goal is to play for your country, everything else—including the IPL—will eventually fall into place. If you have that bigger mindset, success will follow. I always believed that I would play for India one day, and God has been kind. At 18, I got the opportunity to make my debut, and I am grateful for that," Pant said while speaking exclusively on JioHotstar.
Pant was also asked which cricketer inspired him to play unorthodox shots. The Haridwar-born man said that he watched old videos of MS Dhoni, who used to play lap shots against fast bowlers. Pant opined that with new rules being implemented now and then, it is important for the players to adapt.
"Earlier, quite a few players played these shots. I have seen old videos of Mahi Bhai (MS Dhoni), and he, too, has played the lap shot. But percentage-wise, I think they used to do it less. The game is changing now—field placements are different, and players are adapting. Some might feel it’s necessary for their game, while others may not. At the end of the day, how you read the game determines how you play it," Pant stated.
I mainly try to use my bottom hand for support: Rishabh Pant
Pant explained why the bat often slips out of his hand when he looks to play the big shots. The southpaw said that he holds the bat very loosely with his bottom hand. Instead, he prefers to grip his top hand tightly. He asserted that his priority while playing big shots is only to find the fence, and everything else is secondary.
"I think it mostly happens because I hold my bottom hand very lightly. I mainly try to use my bottom hand for support because, at times, it starts dominating. So, I focus on gripping my top hand tightly. But when I overreach—especially when the ball is too wide or too short—it’s not always in the ideal hitting zone," Pant explained.
Sometimes, the shot I attempt may only have a 30-40% success rate, but depending on the match situation, I’m willing to take that risk. That’s my mindset. When I take that chance and overreach, I need to do something to maintain balance. At times, it may look like I’m throwing the bat, but in reality, I’m just trying to make the most of that delivery. If my bat slips, if it's not in my hand, or even if it hits my head—my only focus at that moment is finding the boundary. That’s my thought process," he added.
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