Rishabh Pant keeps selection chatter aside, focuses on Irani Cup

Rest of India skipper Rishabh Pant said he will make the most of every opportunity as he prepares for the Irani Cup clash against Jammu and Kashmir. Pant said his focus remains on giving his best and improving his red-ball rhythm

Srinagar:  Unburdened by his recent non-selection in India’s white-ball teams, Rest of India (RoI) skipper Rishabh Pant on Wednesday said he intends to make the most of every opportunity as he fine-tunes his red-ball rhythm ahead of the Irani Cup clash against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir, starting Thursday.

Pant has been training relentlessly and has been at his jovial best at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in the run-up to the high-profile clash. Having missed the ongoing white-ball series against the West Indies, the game in Srinagar offers Pant a platform to build rhythm ahead of the Ranji Trophy and India’s upcoming Test assignment in New Zealand.

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“For me, it’s very simple. Whatever is in front of me, I will give my best. That’s how I play cricket, and I keep it very simple. So whatever opportunity I get, I try to make the best out of it. For me, every game is an opportunity. I want to give my best, and I keep it very simple,” Pant said during the pre-match press conference in Srinagar.

Returning to action after a rare three-week break following the 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka, Pant insisted he remains unburdened by selection chatter, especially after being reduced to a one-format player for India.

“I try to give my best every time I take the field, and that has been the key for me over a period of time. Yes, there will be ups and downs.

“When you want to have an international career for 15-20 years, you have to go through all these things. So it’s that kind of mindset, and it’s very simple — have the right people to guide you and just keep giving your best each and every time you take the field.”

Reflecting on how his perspective evolved during his prolonged 18-month rehabilitation following a severe car crash in December 2022, Pant credited the arduous journey with teaching him to keep things simple.

“See, when you have gone through so much in your life, you understand, you know, keeping it simple is the key. Obviously, when you’re playing for your country, working hard is not optional. You have to work hard, you have to be mentally strong, and you’ve got to keep on learning and keep on improving. And that’s the mindset you want to keep.”

“Especially when you’re going through a long rehab, it’s always frustrating. But developing that mindset [not overthinking] is obviously challenging, but at the same time, you know, if you’re playing international cricket, you have to go through challenges,” he added.