IPL 2018: Rishabh Pant Is Really Special And I Hope He Is Nurtured Well: Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag, on Thursday (May 10), lavished praise on Rishabh Pant after the latter’s stunning century for Delhi Daredevils against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 20-year old absolutely decimated the best bowling lineup of the tournament with utmost ease to fire his side to a good total.

Pant has been one of the stars of Delhi’s otherwise sub-par campaign so far. He was their highest scorer with 393 runs in IPL 2018 before the game and once again led the way with the bat. He had scored 69 off 29 in the win over Rajasthan Royals, 79 off 45 in the 13-run loss against Chennai Super Kings and a brilliant 85 off 48 against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The highly-rated wicketkeeper batsman once again showed why he is such hot commodity in the shortest format of the game, slamming a blistering 128 not out off only 63 deliveries. The innings was studded with 15 fours and 7 sixes.

At 98 for 4, Delhi were looking set to post a below-par total. However, Pant took the opposition to the attack to help Delhi finish off strongly. With wickets falling from one end and him being involved in two-run outs, he was forced to drop anchors. As a result, he took as many as 36 balls to score his fifty. However, once he had his eyes set, it was total carnage. It took him only 20 more balls to reach from 50 to hundred. The highlight of the innings came in the very last over when he was up against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, arguably the best pacers in the league at the moment.

Bhuvneshwar started the over by sending back Glenn Maxwell. However, it was not the precursor of the things that were to follow as Pant hit him for two fours and three consecutive sixes.

Following the innings, Sehwag took to Twitter to hail Pant. He was also quick to mention the last over from Bhuvneshwar as he tweeted:

“Really special innings from Rishabh. Those were not bad balls from Bhuvi in the last over barring the last full toss, but Rishabh Pant is really special and I hope he is nurtured well. “

Really special innings from Rishabh. Those were not bad balls from Bhuvi in the last over barring the last full toss, but Rishabh Pant is really special and I hope he is nurtured well. #DDvSRH

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) May 10, 2018

Pant’s special knock, however, went in vain as fifties from Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson fired Sunrisers to a crushing 9-wicket win. Dhawan remained unbeaten on 92 while Williamson scored 80 not out as Sunrisers reached home in the 19th over.