Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant highlighted the difference in approach between head coach Gautam Gambhir and former coach Rahul Dravid, saying the latter was more balanced as a person and professional. Pant, who was returning to red-ball cricket action for the first time in nearly two years, said he is excited to be working with Gambhir, who took over from Dravid in July 2024.
Pant was speaking to the broadcasters before his Duleep Trophy match for India B, led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The seasoned wicketkeeper-batter, who is bidding to return to the Test side for the first time since December 2022, spoke about the need to remain balanced as a professional in victories and defeats in the sport.
“I feel Rahul bhai was very balanced as a human being and as a coach. For us, there were good moments and bad moments as a cricket team. In the journey of cricket, there are positives and negatives. And it depends on the individuals who are in charge of whether to focus on positives or negatives,” Pant told JioCinema.
“Gauti bhai is more aggressive, he is very one-sided about the fact that we have to win. But you need to find the right balance, That’s the best part about international cricket, you keep on improving and finding the balance,” he added.
Pant was part of India’s tour of Sri Lanka in July – Gambhir’s first assignment as the head coach of the senior national men’s team. Gambhir has big shoes to fill as Rahul Dravid oversaw India’s successful campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Pant said India will not take any opposition lightly and focus on improving their strengths in the next few months. Bangladesh are heading to India after a historic Test series win in Pakistan.
“Asian countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka perform well in Asian conditions because they are accustomed to the wickets,” Pant added.
“As the Indian cricket team, we focus solely on our own standards and how we can improve. Regardless of the opposition, we strive to play with the same intensity and give our 100 percent every single day,” he said.
