Rishabh Pant might have missed a year of cricket, including an ODI World Cup at home, after surviving a life-threatening car crash, and his return to action after being declared fit by the BCCI’s medical fit, could be the most highly-anticipating moment when the 2024 season of Indian Premier League (IPL) unfolds on March 22, but that hasn’t dulled Pant’s sense of humour.

As he awaits his comeback to the cricket field, donning the Delhi Capitals’ colors in the IPL, Pant said he was ‘both excited and nervous as well’ thinking about his comeback. Speaking in the Club Prairie Fire podcast that featured Australian legend Adam Gilchrist and former England cricketer Michael Vaughan, Pant said, “Really excited but at the same time, nervous also. When you are sitting outside, talking and having fun, it’s okay but once you take the field, it’s a different atmosphere altogether. Little nervous but I think that comes with the game, part and parcel of the process. Excited because I don’t know how I’m going to be on the field. Having fun each and every day, thinking positive.”

Pant’s return will bolster Delhi Capitals who endured a horrid 2023 season, finishing ninth out of 10 teams. The southpaw, who is most likely to be reappointed the skipper of the Capitals, expressed his confidence on the combination of the squad, especially after the addition of a few new faces during the mini-IPL auction in December.

“I think mostly I’m pleased with it (DC squad) because in mini-auction, you can’t do much about it because whatever goal you have, you have to work around it. That’s the only thing you can do. Some setbacks may come but then setbacks are part of life. Really excited about the squad,” he said.

Pant will be hoping to make full use of the IPL, as BCCI secretary Jay Shah had stressed that his performance in the cash-rich league will keep him in contention for a slot in the T20 World Cup scheduled in June.

“As a player, you want to get back to international cricket but at the same time, I don’t want to think too much. It is in the back of my mind but whatever is on my plate right now, I have to think about it right now. Keeping it simple because the world that we live in is complicated anyway. So, keeping things simple is the best way I think about it. One thing I missed is being around my team and having fun with teammates,” he said.

Known for his explosive batting, Pant’s gameplay has come a long way since his U19 days in 2016. His ability to draw a parallel between aggression and defence has earned him rewards in recent years, notably during India’s historic Test series win in Australia in 2021-22. Reflecting on his approach, Pant explained the need to keep things simple.

“I think it’s a part of the learning process. It didn’t come overnight. You got to figure out how to make it happen, that’s also a part of it because when things go south in that, everyone blames you like crazy. You have to believe in yourself because nobody else is there. Good part I did is not to think too much.”

“See, you don’t have to think too much about playing in a certain way, yes you have to be positive but you have to just see the ball and play the ball. Mindset is positive. End of the day, you have to play the ball. You can’t push yourself to play at a ball whether right or wrong, just because you have to play a certain way. Cricket tells you how to play. You can’t decide that you can only play this way and enter the field,” he said.

India not thinking about Bazball

Pant came up with a blunt reply to a query on England’s ‘Bazball’ approach that gave them reasonable success till their first major hammering, in the form of a 1-4 series loss in the recently-concluded five-match Test rubber.

“We aren’t thinking about it (Bazball) too much. As a team, you have to find your own strengths. Yes, you have to take the knowledge about how they are playing but at the end of it, you have to focus on your own strengths and give your best shot instead of thinking about the other team,” Pant opined.

On being asked if he had any advice for the England cricket team, which will be travelling to Australia next year for the Ashes, since India had managed to defeat Australia in Australia, Pant came up with a few technical inputs.

“They already know what they need to do. As a batsman, I would say a simple thing, instead of punching the ball, look to cut the ball. That’s what I would say (to England’s Bazballers). Because when you punch the ball there is more chances of you getting caught, or just getting out. Australia is the best place for cuts and pulls. The fuller ball will not disturb you much. Mostly it’s going to be back of length. These guys bowl the fuller ball a little wider off the off stump. In England, you can punch the ball in a better way,” he said.

Pant also stressed on the importance of adding an extra bit of pace in the England bowling line-up to have success against Australia. “I think we need a bit more pace bowling in Australia, 130s is fresh for batting. Even if he is bowling here and there, it’s fine but you need bowlers in the 140s in Australia,” he said.