India vs Sri Lanka | Whatever chance I will get, just want to grab it, says Rishabh Pant

A lot was expected from young Rishabh Pant when he made his debut for the national team in February last year, during the third T20I against England in Bangalore. However, he has found it tough to break into the national team since then, managing just one more appearance in the series versus West Indies last July.

However, the 20-year old has always been confident about his abilities as he opined that he still has a long way to before critics could write him off. He was included in the 15-man India squad who have travelled to Sri Lanka to play the tri-nation Nidahas Trophy that includes Sri Lanka and neighbours Bangladesh. And Pant seemed determined to stay focused and make the most of the opportunities that come along his way this time.

"It was a little difficult. The only thing running in my mind was how to make a comeback. Whatever I had been lacking, I didn’t want to give any chance. Whatever chance I will get, just want to grab it. The only thing running in my mind is not to commit same old mistakes," said Pant in an interview to The Indian Express.

"Whatever weak points I had, I just tried to work on them, be it keeping, batting or fitness. I want to return much improved than the last time," he added. 

On the domestic stage, Pant was named as Delhi's captain in the Vijay Hazare Tournament last year, but he conceded that he doesn’t want the added pressure that came along with the tag of captain at this point in his career. He stated that senior players like Ishant Sharma and Gautam Gambhir would be better fit for the leadership roles as he still needed to learn a thing or two.

"Captaining a team like Delhi is full of pressure. Now I won’t do it, at least for the next five years. For me, it’s important now to keep my focus. I will give more than 100 percent. I want to concentrate more on my performance," 

"I want to focus more on my game. I want to contribute more to my team, I can do all these things without being captain. In my state, we have senior players like Ishant (Sharma) bhaiyya and Gauti bhaiyya (Gautam Gambhir). They are there to do captaincy, I don’t think I’m needed for this task at this moment," Pant added.