It was 15th August and the Indian team had just hoisted the tri-colour in their London hotel lawn. It was an emotional moment for Rishabh Pant, 20-year-old and the baby of this team, who had only watched Shah Rukh Khan on the big screen show a similar scene in Chak De India movie --- of the Indian flag go up in a country that had ruled over us for years. But effectively, Rishabh Pant realized they haven’t unfurled the tri-colour yet. On the cricket field, that is. The team members boarded the bus to Nottingham well aware of their actions and its consequences when Pant excused himself and called Ustaadji --- his coach and father figure in his life.
“Khel raha hai kya?” was the first question that Tarak Sinha asked from the other end, even without the customary exchanges of pleasantries. Rishabh didn’t have an answer to that question then but he politely replied with a question of his own. “Sir what if I get a chance?”
“Jitna ho sake backfoot pe khelna, aur late khelna…bas itna hi bolunga,” replied Tarak Sinha. Rishabh would be his 10th Test cricketer and 13th international that he’s coached across 4 different generations spanning 40 years but he wouldn’t like to over-complicate matters because there are others guiding him in the team.
But he is well aware that Pant could well be Team India’s superhero in Nottingham, a city famous in English folklore for the legend of Robin Hood. “He’s got so many facets in his batting style which makes him so special, look at his performance on England A tour. How many thought he can also play the waiting game,” he asks before elaborating that it was a small ‘deal’ between him and Rishabh. “Pehle mere pachaas, phir koi bhi tujhe tere 100 run se nahi rok sakega’. I have requested him to first play out 50 balls for my sake, and I know if he does that, given his natural ability to strike the ball, he will score his half-century easily thereafter…and will also put in a big partnership for the team,” he explains. “In England, it’s all about staying at the wicket as long as possible.”
Rahul Dravid is the latest fan of Rishabh Pant, who was surprised to see the youngster bat much like him --- staying put for long periods and batting at a strike-rate that is alien to Pant’s reputation but conventional by Test standards. "Rishabh has shown that he could bat differently. He has the temperament and skills to bat differently," Dravid told bcci.tv. “He is always going to be an attacking player but reading of the situation when you are playing red ball cricket is required.”
Rishabh’s early struggle makes his story even more special, forced to take shelter at a South Delhi gurudwara, eating langar and surviving by doing odd chores because he couldn’t afford rent and food, while learning cricket at Sonnet club. Rishabh lost his father at an early age and in midst of a busy IPL and he reported back for Delhi Daredevils within hours of cremating his father, because that’s what keeps him ticking. He scored heavily in the IPL and gave a perfect tribute to his father. For everyone, it was a story eerily similar to skipper Virat Kohli.
Few doubt that he can achieve something similar but even Virat went through phases of distraction, and Tarak realises it. “Bigger challenges are to keep Rishabh focused on the cricket and keep distractions away. He has given me the place of his father…so he will not go against me, and I have tried my level best to keep him grounded. I am still as strict with him as I was when he was a kid, I keep reminding him of his early struggles and tell him ‘no matter what his friends or relatives say that he has arrived in life, the journey has just started. Red ball cricket is real cricket, and it’s tough. Only the best survive.’ But this guy is really special talent,” says Sinha.
At what was Rishabh’s special moment --- handed the Test cap by Virat Kohli to become India’s 291st Test cricketer, his mentor, the 68-year old was busy coaching the next generation at Sonnet Club nets. “I will keep doing what I always do, and that’s exactly what I want Rishabh to do as well. I got the news from my students, who were all eager to break the news to me. I just told them, it’s time for them to be the next in line,” he says with a big smile.
The clock is ticking for Rishabh Pant. To fill in for Dhoni’s void. To be India’s Robin Hood to save the Test series.