Much of the spotlight has been on Jasprit Bumrah for his crucial spells in the six-run win against Pakistan last Sunday. But if not for the innings that keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant played (42 off 31 balls) braving difficult conditions in New York against a potent Pakistan attack, India may have struggled to post even 100.

In the ongoing T20 World Cup, Pant batting at No. 3, a new position for him, hasn’t really put a foot wrong even though the New York pitch hasn’t allowed free-flowing strokeplay.

Pant’s unbeaten 36 off 26 balls against Ireland and the 31-ball 42 versus Pakistan has been vital to the team’s cause. He hasn’t always been perfect, but not even once did he play a shot out of panic. Even while hitting the ramp shot against Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf, Pant oozed confidence.

“Rishabh got his shots right on that surface, whether it was playing behind or square of the wicket. He was clear about what strokes he wanted to play, which is very important on such pitches,” former chief selector MSK Prasad, during whose tenure Pant made his India debut, told The Telegraph on Tuesday.

“He did give a couple of chances early on... But the way he carried on after that is
what counts. He earlier had that tendency to throw his wicket away. But at present, he is a lot more mature,” Prasad pointed out.

Behind the stumps too, Pant has been as safe as a house. That also earned him the best fielder’s award within the team.

“His improvement behind the stumps was noticed in those series during the pandemic (against England at home in early 2021 and on South African shores in 2021-22). He has just got better and better since then,” former India keeper-batter Deep Dasgupta said.

Mental toughness

Despite the horrific and career-threatening car accident he suffered back in December 2022, Pant, 26, has shown steely resolve to return to the top level.

Swaroop Savanur, a mental conditioning and peak performance coach, who’s currently working at the National Cricket Academy and has also previously worked for IPL franchise Punjab Kings, observed: “I’ve worked with several athletes before. Quite a lot of them tend to have mood swings during the rehab process. They often overthink about their future, like whether they can at all return to the peak level.

“Besides, the rehab process in itself is long and strenuous, and that too takes a toll on the player concerned. Pant had multiple ligament tears following that accident. But it’s his drive and intense determination to get back to donning India colours that smoothened his path.”