Things don't change overnight. I am just 21, maturity will come: Rishabh Pant

NEW DELHI: Of late, Rishabh Pant has been the focal point of raging debate in Indian cricket over the wicketkeeper batsman not being picked for the upcoming World Cup. 10 days after the selection, you were compelled to empathise with him when you saw him shut his eyes, clinch his fists and gather himself as he came out of an IPL sponsor commitment.

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That done, he pulled a chair, handed over the sponsor's pay cheque to his manager and asked him to ensure the money reaches underprivileged children.


A deep breath later, Pant was ready for a chat. You knew he was not comfortable discussing World Cup. So you took him back to the days when he shuttled between Roorkee, Jaipur and Delhi to find a launch pad for his career. For the record, Pant had missed out on U-16 cricket and the Delhi Ranji team resisted his introduction despite his dominance in U-19 cricket.

"Whatever you learn in your childhood helps you a lot. I had to travel a lot to play and met a lot of people. I didn't get my due easily. There have been certain things for which I was made to push that bit extra. Those things have made me mentally strong," Pant said as he talked about dealing with setbacks.

"It is a setback when you are not selected. I am used to it. But a professional should know how to deal with it. Things will not always be the way you want them to be. When things don't go your way, you need to find a way to keep yourself positive. The important thing is to know how you can move on."


Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad talked about Pant's maturity (lack of it) coming in the way of his selection for the World Cup. One of the biggest criticisms has been his inability to finish games. So, the war cry after finishing the match for Delhi Capitals against Rajasthan Royals a week after the selection made sense.

"I take any criticism positively. Finishing matches is important. I will learn to do it consistently. You only learn from your experiences and mistakes," Pant made a humble statement before explaining the reality of the process. "Things don't change overnight. I am just 21. It's difficult to think like a 30-year-old man. In due course, my mind will be stronger and there will be a lot of maturity. You need to give it time."

By now, Pant knows that his flamboyance on the field is often mistaken to be a casual approach. Talk about his 'natural talent' dominates most analysis. "Natural talent sounds nice. But I don't have enough knowledge about what natural talent is and how it can be linked to hard work. I know that if I had to play top-level cricket then it wouldn't come without hard work. I was always told to focus on myself, not think ill of others."


Three weeks after the selection heartbreak, Pant seems to have 'moved on'. He is at the forefront of Delhi Capitals' encouraging run in IPL. Does the role of being one of the mainstays of a relatively young batting lineup help? "Even when I play for India, my aim is to help my team win. It's the same for every team I play for," he said, not wanting to complicate things.

The last eight months have been crazy for him. From the joy of being a Test success to the anxiety of finding a definite place in India's white-ball team, Pant's journey has belied stereotypes. He has time for himself now and he has hit the reset button already. "I need to work on all facets - be it the game or the approach. I'll take that one at a time. Popularity milti rahegi. (Popularity will come along). But I have to focus on what I need to do to improve as a player."

As the dust settles on the World Cup squad debate, India's No. 1 standby leaves, asserting: "Aim toh ek hi hain. IPL jeetna. (There's only one aim now. Win the IPL)."