Rishabh Pant has impressed one and all with explosive batting ever since his return to competitive action after recovering from a horrific car crash.
However, Indian fielding coach T Dilip is particularly impressed by his exceptional glovework and acrobatics behind the stumps.
Pant had met with a life-threatening car accident in December 2022, and had to undergo multiple surgeries and intensive rehab and recovery. After spending a lot of time regaining his strength and skills back, the southpaw made his return in IPL 2024, where he captained Delhi Capitals and scored runs consistently to regain his place in the national side.
Pant has been a key player for the Indian team in the ongoing T20 World Cup, delivering crucial performances with the bat at No. 3. His wicketkeeping skills have also been outstanding.
"The best thing is that Rishabh has done so well in his comeback. Especially the batting is considered to be very good. But one of the good things about him is the way he came back as a wicketkeeper. Especially with an injury he had, to come back as a wicketkeeper and do that lateral movement, so that is very heartening to see," Dilip said ahead of India’s last group-stage match against Canada.
Talking about Rishabh Pant's batting, the field coach revealed that the left-hander practices intense simulations in the nets, which helps him during actual matches.
"Coming to your question about batting differently, having different plans in the match, it's a strategy, it's something which Rishabh always does, is that he tries everything in practice whatever comes in a match so that he is well prepared with his options whatever he wants to try in a match."
Dilip, who has been associated with the Indian team for over two years, highlighted remarkable improvements in the fast bowlers' fielding abilities. Mohammed Siraj’s catch inches in front of boundary rope at deep mid-wicket to dismiss USA batter Nitish Kumar is an example of this.
"If I really want to go to specifics, what's heartening to see is the bowlers doing really well. Yes, Jadeja is very good, Virat Kohli is good, Rohit Sharma is good. They were doing very well before.
"But then what's happening is the bowlers doing really well, which is adding up as you can see that now the bowlers are standing in hot spots. So, that's a great sign for a team.
"So that, what will happen in that, Rohit Sharma will get the versatility (options) that he doesn't have to look for any place. That versatility is allowing him to keep good fielders at positions all the time."
Sharing more details, Dilip mentioned that bowlers, even after long spells, return the next day for optional training sessions.
"After long bowling spells and coming back and especially most of the optional sessions, they are taking that initiative to come for the practice. That is first thing.
"And in that process, two important things we did in this, we try to do in this tournament, is attitude and attention to detail.
"Attention to detail means when the ball is going on the boundary... slow outfield, you all were never giving up till last moment, backing up when somebody is throwing."
T Dilip disclosed that he incorporates some baseball throwing techniques into cricket practice.
"I love it because there are certain things which I have been using for pretty long, because back in there, I had an opportunity to work with Mike King, with an Australian team. He was a baseball player, so quite a few inputs from that game have really helped me in cricket," said Dilip.
"Other day, we went to Yankees Stadium, so we watched some baseball stuff out there and we met an NFL player, so it's diverse sports, so we try to get in what we can learn from other sports, so it gives an opportunity to look into other sports," he concluded.
(With TOI Inputs)
