I had been practising to bat at No. 4, reveals Rishabh Pant

Ever since the 2015 World Cup, India’s problems at the No.4 position came to bite them in most of the matches and even though the team tried so many players, the lack of patience resulted in India having a player to bat at the position who had played only five ODI matches before the World Cup. 

Rishabh Pant was thrown into the deep end, and although he failed to convert the starts to big ones, he showed enough promise at the same position. Ahead of the Windies tour, which should be his first proper grooming time at No.4, Pant said that he was practising for the same position and was comfortable during the World Cup.

"I loved batting at No. 4. It was nothing new for me as I have played at No. 4 before, like in the IPL. I had been practicing for the same role. There is no specific way or style I play in. I always play according to a situation. I don't know what people say, because I don't read newspapers much,” Pant told Hindustan Times.

Ahead of the World Cup, Pant had played only five ODIs but had nine Tests and 15 T20Is caps to his name. The wicketkeeper-batsman acknowledged that his Test cricket experience made things easier.

"I don't think about (the differences in) formats too much. Yes, maybe it did help that I played Test cricket first. I got a good experience form playing Test cricket. People used to say that Test cricket is the most difficult. So I got to learn a lot, how to build the innings, playing down the order and how to bat with the tail.

"There is learning every day in Test cricket. Especially when you have to walk out to bat after having fielded the entire day. That is a different experience. In ODIs and T20Is especially, things happen very fast."

After MS Dhoni decided to take a two-month sabbatical to serve the Indian army, Rishabh Pant automatically became the first-choice keeper for the Indian team. While Pant admitted that it is a big shoe to fill, he also added that he is not thinking a lot about it. 

"I know those are big shoes to fill, but if I start thinking about it there will be a problem. Right now, I am not thinking about what people say. I am just focusing on what I have to do. My coach has always told me one thing: every year you have to add something to your game. You can't stagnate because now the technology is so good that you have to keep improving and add on things each and every day of your career. 

“That's what I try to do. I just keep on trying new things. If it helps me, I try it in a match. There are days when I try these new shots in the nets, some days I don't. It is all part of a long-term process."