IPL 2021: Rishabh Pant's 'before and after' pictures on social media prove he has come a long way

2021 can easily be considered as a golden year for young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant as he has been hogging all the limelight for his blistering performance with the willow and a significant improvement in his keeping skills. Pant has experienced a roller-coaster ride thus far in his international career. 

There was a lot of hype around the youngster while he was making his debut for India as he was deemed as a potential replacement of former Indian captain MS Dhoni. However, after Pant failed to live up to the expectations, he was placed under major scrutiny with the fans and analysts going harsh and comparing him with Dhoni after his performance in every game.

Despite receiving backlash, Rishabh Pant didn’t lose hope and continued to work hard in order to improve his skills. The wicketkeeper also received backing from team management and the skipper Virat Kohli. As a result of the same, Pant emerged as the highest run-getter for India in the four-match Test series against Australia followed by his exemplary performance in the England tour too.

The ongoing 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is also a memorable tournament for Rishabh Pant as he is leading his franchise Delhi Capitals for the first time. DC’s regular skipper Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the entire tournament after sustaining a shoulder injury and the management showed faith in young Rishabh as they appointed with the leader of the squad.

Rishabh Pant trends on Twitter

The 23-year-old’s first match as a captain was against his mentor and idol MS Dhoni. DC and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were up against each other in the second match of IPL 2021 in Mumbai. Playing his first game as captain, Pant’s team delivered a brilliant performance as they emerged victorious by seven wickets. 

Pant was also at his fluent best with the willow as he scored 15 not-out runs off 12 deliveries to help his team cross the finishing line. After the exciting clash, a photo of Rishabh Pant returning to the dugout with the Yellow Army “escorting” him has been going viral on social media.

As the picture is garnering a lot of attention, the fans dug out an old photo of Pant where he can be seen standing behind as the CSK team takes a selfie. The fans couldn’t help but draw comparisons between the two pictures while lauding Rishabh Pant for all that he has achieved in a short time.

Rishabh Panther pic.twitter.com/slSfWdX7U0

— Monica (@monicas004) April 11, 2021