IPL 2018: Rishabh Pant following Ravi Shastri’s advice

The 11th edition of the Indian Premier League is just around the corner. Teams have already begun their preparatory camps to work on their players and decide on the best possible combination. The youngsters get a chance to play with the best players in the world. To perform at such a stage, a player needs to keep his head down and implement the basics to perfection. Good performances in the IPL are recognized and rewarded by national selectors. This forces the young players to work day and night to make a mark in the tournament.

Rishabh Pant has established himself as a hard-hitting batsman in the domestic circuit. However, he hasn’t had a great outing for India so far. In the recently concluded Nidahas Trophy that saw India going all the way, Pant looked off color again. Though he did not play all the games, his real gain has been an interaction with Indian team’s head coach Ravi Shastri, who gave him tips to work on specific skill sets ahead of the 11th edition of Indian Premier League.

Working and polishing my skills: Pant

“I am working on certain skills and also fitness with my coach Tarak Sinha (Sonnet coach). While returning from Sri Lanka, I had an interaction with Ravi Shastri. He told me to work on certain skills and I am trying to implement it in my game,” Pant told the reporters on the sidelines of Delhi Daredevils’ training session. Time may soon run out for the young southpaw as he has had a string of low scores and there are plenty of players itching to get a chance.

When asked about the details of his discussion with Shastri, he said, “It’s between the coach and his player. I can’t disclose that. It was a good interaction. The atmosphere in the Indian dressing room is fantastic. I learned a lot. Failures often teach you a lot and I believe I will come back harder.”

Pant has had the privilege to play under Rahul Dravid at the U-19 level and will now be working under the legendary Ricky Ponting who is the head coach of Delhi Daredevils. However, the coaches are with the player only outside the boundary ropes. Once a player crosses the boundary ropes and enters the field during the match, he has to give his 100% and deliver results.

Pant had a good Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Delhi. He seems to be in a good frame of mind heading into the IPL. This tournament might just be the breakthrough season for him that could provide him with the confidence to perform at bigger stages.

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