'He dragged me into the gym whenever he was free. He didn’t care about fatigue or work-load management'
Just months ago, Rishabh Pant was out of form, out of favour, and out of answers.
Dropped from India’s Champions Trophy squad and mocked for reckless batting in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the wicketkeeper-batter had hit rock bottom.
But at Headingley, the 27-year-old vice-captain roared back in style — becoming only the second wicketkeeper in Test history to score centuries in both innings of a match 134 in the first innings and 118 in the second. India may have lost, but Pant won something bigger: redemption.
Pant's transformation began after a forgettable Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year. He scored just 255 runs in five Tests at an average of 28.33. His reckless shot selection came under fire, most notably during the Melbourne Test where he attempted a falling ramp shot and was dismissed cheaply. Sunil Gavaskar’s infamous on-air outburst — ‘stupid, stupid, stupid’— went viral and seemed to encapsulate the nation’s disappointment.
Pant was dropped for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, where he didn’t play a single match despite India lifting the trophy with a win over New Zealand in the final. It was a clear message: the team was moving forward without him — unless he changed.
According to a report in the Times of India, Pant took drastic steps to recalibrate his focus. In March 2025, he uninstalled WhatsApp, turned off his phone, and stayed offline except for essential communication. He went into a mental and physical bootcamp of his own making.
Pant’s struggles continued in the IPL, where he led the Lucknow Super Giants but managed fewer than 300 runs all season. His numbers would’ve looked even worse if not for a final-league stage century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
But behind the scenes, something was shifting.
India’s former strength and conditioning coach, Sohum Desai, revealed how committed Pant became to his fitness during this period. ‘He did the most intense sessions, day in and day out — even when he was benched in the Champions Trophy,’ Desai told Times of India.
‘He dragged me into the gym whenever he was free. He didn’t care about fatigue or work-load management. All he said was he needed to keep working on himself. On the day of the final, he came to me with a hint of guilt and asked if he could take the day off. I said it was high time.’
The result? A leaner, more focused Pant — physically fitter, mentally calmer, and technically sharper.
With the second Test set to begin on July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham, India will be banking on Pant to continue his dream run — not just for runs, but for inspiration.
© 2025