Rishabh Pant Has Become Mentally Tougher Without Changing His Batting Style- Yuzvendra Chahal

Indian team leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal talked about his teammate Rishabh Pant and mentioned that though the Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman has not changed his batting style, he has become mentally much stronger and matured as a player in recent times.

Rishabh Pant made an emphatic comeback into the Indian team by playing amazing and match-winning knocks in Tests and limited-overs matches against Australia and England recently and was in good form in the recently suspended IPL 2021 as well, where he led the Delhi Capitals (DC) team.

Rishabh Pant Is Clearer About What He Wants To Do Now And Has Begun To Take Greater Responsibility: Yuzvendra Chahal

In a chat with Sports Tak, Chahal opined that the changes in Rishabh Pant’s game have been more on the mental side of things, rather than on the field.

“Rishabh Pant’s batting style hasn’t changed, but he has become mentally tougher. He is more clear about what he wants to do now and has begun to take greater responsibility. I would say he has really matured of late.

I remember he had come into the team midway through the 2019 World Cup. When we lost the semi-final (against New Zealand), he was really hurt. As an elder brother I could see that he had been impacted a lot. I spoke to him during that phase and he came out of it well,” Chahal said.

Rishabh Pant had been called in as a replacement for the injured Vijay Shankar in the 2019 World Cup and made 32 in 56 balls against New Zealand in the first semi-final that India lost by 18 runs and was knocked out of the tournament.

Knock In Gabba And Century In Ahmedabad Proved Rishabh Pant Maturity And His Hunger: Yuzvendra Chahal

Rishabh Pant made a great return to the India team on the tour of Australia replacing Wriddhiman Saha in the team after Virat Kohli flew back home for the birth of his first child after the first Test loss in Adelaide.

Pant played a magnificent 90-odd-run knock in Sydney Test, giving a huge scare to Australians as India chased 407 runs to win. Then in the Gabba Test, he played an amazing knock of 89* as India chased down 328 runs to create history by beating Australia in Brisbane for the first time in 32 years and winning the second consecutive Test series down under.

“In Australia, he scored that 89 not out at the Gabba to take the team to victory. Even in the Ahmedabad Test (fourth Test against England), when the ball was turning a lot, he managed to crack an excellent hundred. Those knocks proved his maturity and his hunger. Earlier, he was not able to perform consistently, but now he has understood what he needs to do to succeed at this level. I am glad he has taken the responsibility and is proving his worth,” Chahal added.

Pant will now be seen on the tour of England where India plays New Zealand in the final of the ICC World Test Championship and the five-Test series against the hosts.

Also Read: Yuzvendra Chahal Explains Why His Combination With Kuldeep Yadav Has Become Rare