New Delhi, Mar 11: After winning the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai, India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant revealed that since childhood he had only one dream of playing for India which came to reality in 2017 after much hard work and perseverance.

Pant, who was part of India's Champions Trophy-winning squad, did not get a chance to play a single game in the tournament as KL Rahul was picked ahead of him.

However, Pant is set to lead his new franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. He was roped in by the franchise for a record-shattering Rs 27 crore in last year's mega auction.

"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," Pant said on JioHotstar.

Apart from his power-hitting skills, Pant is known for his unconventional shot-making skills which he says come naturally to him.

"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," the wicketkeeper said.

Commenting on the reason behind his bat slipping out of his hands at times, Pant added, "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."

(IANS)

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