New LSG captain Rishabh Pant reveals that his only dream was to play for India since his childhood and other things like playing in IPL will fall into place.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will have a new captain in the upcoming IPL 2025 season. Sanjiv Goenka-owned RPSG group splashed out Rs 27 crore to bring home Rishabh Pant at the IPL 2025 mega auction last year and it’s no surprise that the Delhi wicketkeeper will now be leading the side.
Pant can often be mercurial with his stroke play but often inconsistent due to the ‘unconventional’ shots that he plays. In an interview to JioHotstar, Pant revealed that he grew up watching former India and CSK skipper MS Dhoni playing these shots.
“Earlier, quite a few players played these shots. I have seen old videos of Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni), and he, too, has played the lap shot. But percentage-wise, I think they used to do it less. The game is changing now—field placements are different, and players are adapting. Some might feel it’s necessary for their game, while others may not. At the end of the day, how you read the game determines how you play it,” Pant told JioHotstar.
Pant revealed in the interview that his only dream was to play for India. “Since childhood, I had only one dream—to play for India. I never even thought about playing in the IPL. I think today, people are more focused on the IPL. Of course, it’s a great platform, but I believe that if your goal is to play for your country, everything else—including the IPL—will eventually fall into place. If you have that bigger mindset, success will follow. I always believed that I would play for India one day, and God has been kind. At 18, I got the opportunity to make my debut, and I am grateful for that,” he said.
The 27-year-old star has notched up 3284 runs in 111 matches in IPL till date at a strike-rate of 148.93 with 1 hundred and 18 fifties. Commenting on his flexibility and acrobatic style, Pant said: “I used to do gymnastics as a kid. My gymnastics coach always told me that it would come in handy in life. (Shanker) Basu sir, our Indian team trainer, once told me in 2018-19, ‘Thank you to your gymnastics coach because what he taught you in childhood is still benefiting you today.’ I kept practicing hand springs, and it has played a huge role in my fitness for sure.”
Asked the reason why the bat keeps slipping out of his hands at times, he said, “I think it mostly happens because I hold my bottom hand very lightly. I mainly try to use my bottom hand for support because, at times, it starts dominating. So, I focus on gripping my top hand tightly. But when I overreach—especially when the ball is too wide or too short—it’s not always in the ideal hitting zone. Sometimes, the shot I attempt may only have a 30-40% success rate, but depending on the match situation, I’m willing to take that risk. That’s my mindset. When I take that chance and overreach, I need to do something to maintain balance. At times, it may look like I’m throwing the bat, but in reality, I’m just trying to make the most of that delivery. If my bat slips, if it’s not in my hand, or even if it hits my head—my only focus at that moment is finding the boundary. That’s my thought process.”
