Rishabh Pant recalls his India debut, narrates the role of ‘super seniors’

Rishabh Pant recalled his debut for India during a conversation with a broadcaster. After pulling off impressive performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic cricket, Pant earned his maiden cap against England in 2017 during the third T20I at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Speaking about his debut, Pant shared his initial feelings and how he was made to feel comfortable by the senior players in the dressing room.

“The majority of the time I didn’t feel like that. I was in awe at the beginning. You had watched all of them on TV. But they were all welcoming. Even the super seniors made me comfortable,” said Rishabh Pant in Star Sports’ ‘Believe – To death and back’ episode.

Pant also talked about the team’s culture of creating a welcoming environment in the side, especially for players who came into it for the first time. “It’s the team culture to make everyone comfortable. And when it happens at the start, it’s good. Because at 17-18 years, you know nothing about life,” the Delhi Capitals star added.

I made my Indian cricket team debut on February 1st, 2017, and I had the privilege of representing my country at the highest level of the sport. A very proud moment and I always get goosebumps thinking about that day!

Resilience was rediscovered by constant reminders to… pic.twitter.com/dk62g2eoBo

— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) January 31, 2024

Speaking about his early experiences, Pant highlighted the important lessons he learned as a young player and how these experiences played a big role in his life. In his debut match, Pant found himself at the crease during the 19th over, when he replaced Yuvraj Singh. He did make a mark as he got a boundary past short fine leg.

He remained unbeaten on five off three balls as India ended with a formidable score of 202 for the loss of 6 wickets. That match will always be remembered for Yuzvendra Chahal’s tremendous bowing spell as he ended with figures of 4-0-25-6. England were knocked over for just 127 in 16.3 overs.

Pant has now become one of the leading players for India across all three formats of the game. The southpaw is currently aiming to make a comeback after suffering a devastating accident in December 2022. Pant lost control of his car and endured serious injuries. The 26-year-old continues to recover from the accident and has not been a part of competitive fixture since December 2022.