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Vintage Rishabh Pant is back! But how did it happen? After a lean patch with just one half-century to his name, Rishabh Pant looked woefully out of touch in the IPL. His long-time club coach from Sonnet, Devender Sharma, had plenty to say—but chose to keep his advice private, just between him and Pant. One key suggestion, however, turned out to be a masterstroke: advising Pant to bat at No. 3. That move worked like magic for the flamboyant southpaw, reigniting his trademark flair and confidence at the crease against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last match of the IPL league stage.
Speaking exclusively to CricBlogger, a visibly relieved Sharma couldn’t hide his happiness after Pant’s swashbuckling century. “I told him to play like Rishabh Pant — and he did exactly that,” Sharma said with a smile. “When there were three matches left in the season, I happened to speak to him and suggested he bat at No. 3. He scored big runs — just like he did during the England series.”
Sharma, who proudly carries forward the legacy of the late Tarak Sinha, has been a guiding force in Pant’s cricketing journey. Those reckless horizontal bat shots that Pant kept playing throughout the IPL — including an ill-timed reverse sweep that led to his dismissal—had not only hurt his team but also chipped away at his reputation as one of the game’s fiercest finishers.
But all that changed with his scintillating century against Royal Challengers Bangalore. In one masterclass of an innings, Pant washed away the bitter memories of a forgettable 2025 IPL season and reminded everyone why he’s still one of the most feared batters in world cricket. “Pant’s century augurs well for the Indian team, and he must be feeling super confident after that knock against RCB,” said Delhi and District Cricket Association’s boss Rohan Jaitley, as he heaped praise on the Delhi cricketer.
