Rishabh Pant's Remarkable Rebound: How the Indian Star Overcame Cricket Chaos

For Rishabh Pant, a quote adorned his Whatsapp display picture for five years: “Everyone works to be seen. I work to disappear.” This sentiment reflected his mindset during the pandemic-induced lockdown when he felt uncertain about his future with the Indian team.

Fast forward to March 2025, Pant took a drastic step by uninstalling Whatsapp and minimizing his phone usage. This was part of a broader effort to declutter his mind after enduring a chaotic period in his cricket career.

His now-iconic front-flip celebration after reaching a century in the first innings of the Headingley Test, mirrored his celebration in the IPL, signifying a personal triumph over adversity.

Pant's recent form, marked by centuries across formats, was unimaginable just 45 days prior. While his comeback may appear straightforward on paper, those close to him describe the preceding weeks as the most challenging of his career.

Devender Sharma, Pant’s childhood coach, revealed that Pant realized the situation was spiraling out of control after a careless dismissal in the MCG Test, famously criticized by Sunil Gavaskar.

Following that incident, Pant demonstrated resilience by scoring 40 runs in the first innings of the subsequent Test on a challenging Sydney pitch, enduring physical blows. He then unleashed his natural instincts, scoring 61 off 33 balls. However, his true identity as a cricketer remained ambiguous.

After losing his place in the ODI XI and experiencing a poor run in the IPL, Pant emphasized in an interview that he was practicing intensely, resulting in blisters on his palms.

He confided, “I have spoken to a lot of experts. The more I think, the more this phase will keep engulfing me.” Consequently, he chose to isolate himself from external criticism.

Soham Desai, Team India’s former strength and conditioning coach, noted that Pant engaged in rigorous training when benched during the Champions Trophy.

“He did the most intense sessions, day in and day out. He dragged me into the gym whenever he was free. He didn’t care about fatigue or workload programmes. All he said was he needed to keep working on himself,” Desai stated.

Despite his dedication, results remained elusive. The turning point came when Pant consulted Devender Sharma shortly before the IPL's suspension due to international tensions.

“When he called me, he kept saying that he was training very hard. I had seen his practice videos…I told him it didn’t seem like he was working on his defence. He has an outstanding defence. I told him to play close to his body and trust his technique to middle the ball more often,” Devender explained.

The conversation, lasting several hours, aimed to reinforce Pant's belief in his ability to score rapidly and significantly by focusing on hitting in front of the wicket, a strategy he had successfully employed throughout his career.

Following this discussion, Pant expressed renewed confidence in his batting after hitting Kagiso Rabada for consecutive sixes. It was evident that he was back on track. This transformation was further highlighted when he was overheard on the stump mic scolding himself for attempting a risky shot, reminding himself to focus on conventional strokes.

Pant's career has been characterized by compelling narratives, and his recent resurgence is no exception. As India’s most consistent Test batter in recent years, he consistently leaves fans wanting more. While he has successfully revived his batting form, the real challenge lies ahead: maintaining consistency and shouldering the responsibility of being a key Test batter, especially in England.