Rishabh Pant Recalls Early Cricket Journey Under Late Coach Tarak Sinha’s Guidance

March 11, 2025: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, known for his aggressive approach to the game, recently opened up about the pivotal moments that shaped his career. Pant, who recently won the ICC Champions Trophy with India, will be leading Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL), a franchise he joined after being sold for a massive Rs 27 crores.

As IPL 2025 kicks off on March 24, with LSG facing Delhi Capitals (DC) in Visakhapatnam, Pant reflected on his journey, particularly focusing on the role of his late coach, Tarak Singh, in shaping his batting techniques and his approach to the game.

Pant, who once relied heavily on lofted shots, admitted that he was encouraged to master the art of defending. “When I started playing after moving from Roorkee, I mostly played lofted shots–almost 80 per cent of the time. I did not think about playing along the ground because I used to open the innings,” said Pant, recalling his early days in cricket. His father played a crucial role in encouraging him to face senior players in tournaments from a young age, which Pant credits for his early growth as a cricketer.

Reflecting on his time with Tarak Singh, Pant shared how the coach instilled the importance of defense in his game. “Tarak Sir used to get really angry. He had one rule–‘You must learn defense first. If you master defense, you will master everything else.’ He believed I already knew how to hit big shots, so he wanted me to learn how to defend,” Pant recalled. The young cricketer humorously added that whenever he saw Singh looking away, he would switch back to his natural attacking game.

Pant also acknowledged the influence of legendary wicketkeeper MS Dhoni, whose unconventional shots, like the “lap shot,” influenced his own approach to batting. He explained, “Earlier, quite a few players played these shots. I have seen old videos of Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni), and he, too, has played the lap shot. The game is changing now, field placements are different, and players are adapting.”

The wicketkeeper-batter also opened up about how gymnastics played a crucial role in his fitness journey. Having practiced gymnastics as a child, Pant believes that it helped him build a foundation for his fitness. “I used to do gymnastics as a kid. My gymnastics coach always told me that it would come in handy in life,” he said. He further credited his gymnastics coach for contributing to his fitness, with the Indian team’s trainer Basu Sir also recognizing the benefits of gymnastics in Pant’s physical development.

Pant also humorously addressed the issue of his bat slipping out of his hands during matches, a situation that has often become a talking point among fans. He explained, “I think it mostly happens because I hold my bottom hand very lightly. I mainly try to use my bottom hand for support, but at times it starts dominating. So, I focus on gripping my top hand tightly.” He added that his natural attacking style sometimes leads to shots that are not in the ideal hitting zone, causing the bat to slip. Despite this, Pant remains unperturbed, focusing on the match situation and the goal of hitting a boundary.

Pant’s ultimate dream has always been to play for India, and while IPL has grown into a significant platform, he believes that focusing on playing for the national team is key to success. “I always believed that I would play for India one day, and God has been kind. At 18, I got the opportunity to make my debut, and I am grateful for that,” he concluded.

Throughout his IPL career with Delhi Capitals, Pant has scored 3,284 runs in 110 matches at an average of 35.31, with a century and 18 fifties. He was appointed as the team’s captain in 2021 and led them to the playoffs that same season.

As Pant prepares for the 2025 season with LSG, his journey from a young, attacking cricketer to a seasoned player with a balanced approach reflects the growth and evolution of his game—one that blends aggression with maturity, underpinned by a solid defense.