WI vs IND | I continue to believe in the process even if the scores don’t come, says Rishabh Pant

When Pant walked out to bat, India still needed another 120 runs to win with a little over 15 overs to go. Certainly, the task at hand wasn’t all that difficult. But what the team, the management, and the fans wanted to see was composure over mere flamboyance. 

Together with his skipper Virat Kohli, Pant did just that. He was willing to play his strokes, but was also very measured in his approach. As a testament to that, he finished 65 not out off 42 balls, and struck a straight six to seal the match for his country.

After the match, he revealed his thought processes, in a chat with the team’s vice captain, Rohit.

“Rohit bhai, I have believed in my processes for long. Even though I wasn’t getting scores, I wanted to continue to do that, and today I got the result for it. When I was playing in the middle, I just thought of having good partnerships and then accelerating towards the last 7-8 overs,” Pant told Rohit in a chat posted by BCCI.

After a string of low scores, Pant says it was inevitable to feel frustrated. However, the youngster said that he simply puts his down and goes at it again and again. 

“When my game plan doesn’t work, of course, there are times when I get frustrated, but I also assess what else I could have done in the same situation. It’s also not necessary that you are always able to execute the right decisions that you are taking. But I just continue to believe in my processes and abilities,” Pant said.

With the absence of MS Dhoni in the squad, Pant has been picked as the No.1 wicketkeeper-batsman for the side. As per the several press conferences with selectors and captain Kohli himself, Pant is India’s chosen heir to MSD. Pant admits that it is a huge weight on his young shoulders, but said he revels in the fact that he has the full support of his captain and his team.

“Sometimes the expectations make me feel pressure, but sometimes I enjoy it as well. But you get confidence when your seniors and the whole team supports you, knowing that even if you fail for a couple of innings they will back you, and I remain confident of winning the team matches in the future. So the environment as a whole becomes very conducive to a player performing,” Pant added.