"I don't like it when someone tells me.." Rishabh Pant opens up on relationship with former coach Ravi Shastri

Rishabh Pant said that he had a great understanding with former head coach Ravi Shastri.

Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant recently opened up about his relationship with former India head coach Ravi Shastri. The star cricketer said that Shastri gave him the freedom he required to excel at the highest level.

The 26-year-old Pant, who survived a life-threatening accident in December 2022, has made his much-awaited comeback to the Indian test squad as he was selected in the 16-man squad for the first test of the two-match series against Bangladesh. Pant’s last two tests were also against Bangladesh before the accident.

During Ravi Shastri’s tenure, Pant played a crucial role in helping India win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 in Australia. The wicket-keeper batter played a match-winning knock of 89* at the Gabba to help India pull off a historic win. 

Shastri is the only Indian cricket team head coach to win a test series in Australia till now, and he won it twice (2018-19 and 2020-21).

Had a great understanding with Ravi Shastri: Rishabh Pant

Pant credited Shastri for understanding him and his game very well. The 26-year-old further added that he had a great understanding with Shastri.

“It was an amazing relationship. I had a great understanding with Ravi Shastri as he gave me the freedom I wanted. I don’t like it when someone tells me not to do a specific thing; instead, I prefer someone giving me a better option. I would rather switch to a better option than avoid anything,” Pant said on Tanmay Bhat’s YouTube channel.

Pant revealed that when he was struggling against off-spinners while looking to attack them, Shastri suggested he try reverse-sweep to hit the off-spinners with the turn. That proved to be a game-changer for the left-hander.

“There was a time when I was getting out to off-spinners while playing shots against them. Ravi bhai was thinking about what he should tell me, then he came to me and told me that we have to find a way to tackle off-spinner. He told me that he had found a way and said, “You should play reverse-sweep against an off-spinner and this was about test cricket,” Pant added.

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