Before Team India Capability coach R Sridhar thinks being excluded from teams with limited numbers is a keeper in his favor KL Rahul should be counted as a definite time in Rishabh Pantcareer of. Sridhar revealed that the latter worked particularly hard to improve his gauntlet ability after the defeat.
Pant was not selected in the white team for the 2020-21 tour of Australia. Rahul was chosen as the main hitter, while Sanju Samson was chosen as the second goalkeeper.
Looking back on the bleak period in his left-hander’s career, Sridhar says it forced him to work even harder to assert his place in the team as a goalie hitter. Talking to Cricket.comhe called back:
“He didn’t have a great IPL post-COVID. He then lost his place in the ODI (and T20I) team to KL Rahul as a ball holder. He will likely remember that as one of the defining moments of his career. That makes him work harder.
“In adversity, he found a better version of himself. I can’t even tell how hard he worked on his Australian and New Zealand tours. It was just amazing. surprised”.
Pant gained some weight during COVID-19 and question marks were raised about his fitness during IPL 2020.
‘He sacrificed hits to improve his hold,’ R Sridhar praises Pant’s commitment
While acknowledging that the young glover is going through a tough time as he has to deal with fitness issues and staying healthy, Sridhar praised Pant for his unwavering dedication. .
Opening up on how the Delhi cricketer overcame a difficult period, Sridhar revealed:
“He sacrificed hits to improve his hold. I don’t see any modern cricketer doing that. He did exercise after exercise to improve his footwork, gloves, reaction skills, and hand-eye coordination skills.
“It’s no coincidence that he stayed the same way in that England series at home. He took the world by storm. It was a testament to the intelligence and hard work of the boy.”
Saying that it would be unfair to compare southpaw to any of his predecessors, the former India coach expressed confidence that Pant will create a niche for himself. He concluded:
“He will make a name for himself in his own style. How big that will be, only time will tell. He made the leap as a keeper. The way he treats the back to improve retention, I’ve been very fortunate to have been a small part of that journey. “
Since its international launch in 2017, Pant has represented India in 31 Tests, 27 ODIs and 58 T20I.
