 "'That's the basic technical thing which I have shifted': Rishabh Pant reveals slight tweak in technique for England Tests")
Headingley: India vice-captain Rishabh Pant on Wednesday said that he has effected a slight change to his stance — from open in white ball formats to more side on in Test cricket to meet the demands of the swing-friendly England conditions.
Pant, who is going to bat at No. 5 in the five-Test series beginning on Friday, will have to play a larger role for India with the bat, particularly in the absence of retired stars such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
“I think mostly it’s (changes) mental, a little bit of technical too. It is like in one-day and T20s you have to open up your stance because of the kind of shots you want to play,” Pant said in a press conference here.
Pant has a good record as a batter in England, making 556 runs from 9 Tests at an average of 32.70 with two hundreds and as many fifties.
“At the same time coming to England you got to play a little side-on and that really helps. That’s the basic technical thing which I have shifted, other than that it’s just the mindset thing,” he added.
However, this time the left-hander will start the series as vice-captain, and Pant said the additional responsibility has not tinkered with his regular thought process.
“Personally, I am in a good head space. See, it’s an added responsibility but when you are in the middle you are not thinking, oh! I am the vice-captain, I am the senior player etc. You are just a batsman in between, and you got to do the best for your side.
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More Shorts“So, I haven’t changed my mindset. I’ve got more authority now but at the same time I’m not thinking about it too much.” Pant said he was just trying to impart his experience from previous visits to England to the younger members of the side.
“It’s a responsibility to share your knowledge, your experience with new players, youngsters coming to the team but at the same time not focusing on that senior part too much.
“You still have to play the game, you still have to learn the game as an individual and keep helping people around you, that’s how I look at it,” he added.
The wicketkeeper batter is aware that the Dukes ball will help the bowlers a lot if the conditions are gloomy, but said the team is prepared for such tasks.
“One thing which really helped me coming to England was playing close to the body because we know that Dukes ball moves a lot, especially depending on the weather.
“With sunny weather it’s going to get better and if it’s overcast it’s going to move around a lot even if the wicket is better. I think as cricketers we always try to do that playing red ball cricket, playing ball close to the body and late as possible,” he added.
The 27-year-old said he was expecting a green-tinged pitch at Headingley for the first Test.
“The wicket is looking pretty green but at the same time, coming to England, thinking about green wicket is nothing different for us. We have already prepared for that, and at the same time both teams have to play on the same wicket. So, whosoever is going to play better cricket is going to win eventually.”
Pant said the India A practice games prior to the Test series has given enough game time with the red ball for the entire team.
India A played two four-day matches against the England Lions while there was also an intra-squad match between India A and the senior team members.
“We had more time there in the practices, obviously it’s closer to match, and you just want to do your basics closer to the match. But we had our volume done in London and that was really important for us. Coming back to Headingley, we are going to focus on how we are going to take the game on.”
Pant said the retirement of experienced players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin might have left big void in this Indian line-up but the team has reached England in a positive frame of mind.
“Obviously it’s a new start for us, definitely big people have left. Yes there will be a gap but at the same time what we can do is, it’s an opportunity for us to build a new culture from here or take a culture forward from there (the past), adding to it.
“That is something we look forward to and sharing knowledge with each other, having that care and love in the dressing room for each other and that is something we are looking forward to doing.”
Pant said as a group this Indian team is not worried about past records and the fact that it has not won a Test series on these shores since 2007.
“It’s simple. Play positive cricket. But respect the conditions. We want to win this series. That’s the kind of mindset we come with always. We’re not thinking that we’re a young team. The kind of conversation we have in the group is how we can win this match, win this series, and how everyone can contribute.
“For us, it’s not about getting glory with individual players. It’s eventually because if the team wins, everyone wins. That’s the kind of thought process and that kind of mentality we want to take in future,” he signed off.
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