Team India wicket-keeper batsman has taken the cricketing world by storm with his breathtaking knocks. He has mesmerised one and all including England cricketer Sam Billings who recalled his impression of the wicket-keeper batsman during 2016 IPL playing for Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils).
Incidentally, Pant was a part of the India U19 squad in 2016 that ended as the runners up in the World Cup in Bangladesh. In the same year, he made his IPL debut and since then, has not looked back. Rishabh Pant was at the heart of India’s batting in the recently-concluded Test series against England guiding them to a 3-1 series win and setting a finale date with New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship.
Sam Billings reveals his first impression of Rishabh Pant
In the meantime, Sam Billings, the England cricketer, recalled an incident in the 2016 IPL where he got the first glimpses of Pant. He remembered talking to Rahul Dravid, the then mentor of the Delhi franchise, regarding the southpaw.
“With Pant, I played with him for 2 years when I was in Delhi. I turned to Rahul Dravid and asked ‘who is this kid?’ He was smacking Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Morris, Rabada everywhere in the open net,” Billings was quoted as saying in an interview with ESPNcricinfo.
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Previously in 2017, Sam Billings copped a lot of criticisms for calling Rishabh Pant the ideal successor of MS Dhoni. The former Chennai Super Kings cricketer lauded Pant for coming up the ranks in the last couple of years or so.
“I was just thinking ‘this is unbelievable!’ and that year he lit up. It’s been great to see him evolve as a cricketer and to be in the same team as him again would be great,” he stated.
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Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant will be next seen in action during the T20I series against England starting March 12 (Friday) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. He is expected to make it to the playing XI after missing the shortest format against Australia owing to dismal form.
