" Rehne Do, Jab Zaroorat Padegi...": 18-Year-Old Rishabh Pant's Reply To Non-Selection
Rishabh Pant has established himself as one of Team India's best players in Test cricket. The 27-year-old became the first Asian wicket-keeper batter, and the first Indian batter, to score centuries in both innings of a Test match in England, doing so in the recently-concluded first Test between India and England. However, Pant's rise to stardom has been far from rosy. Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja has narrated an incident from 2015, when Pant was 18 years old, giving us an insight into his mentality after he had been dropped from Delhi's Ranji Trophy squad.
Pant did not find a spot in Delhi's Ranji Trophy team at the start of the 2015/16 season, ahead of which Ajay Jadeja had quit as the head coach of the side.
Jadeja revealed that he had insisted Pant to attend Delhi's training session despite missing out on their Ranji Trophy squad. However, Pant's clear-cut reply took him by surprise.
"I will never forget our first meeting. I was the coach of Delhi for a few days before quitting (in 2015). The selectors and captain kept arguing over the players they wanted to have in the team. Pant wasn't picked," Jadeja narrated.
"I still told him (Pant) to attend the practice session for the Ranji Trophy, telling him that it doesn't matter that you've not been selected, there will be a chance in future.
"Bhaiya rehne do na, jab zaroorat padegi, ghar se bulayenge (Let it be. When they'll need me, they'll pick me up from home)," was Pant's stunning reply, Jadeja recalled.
Pant eventually did make his way into the Delhi Ranji Trophy team that season, entering the playing XI for their fourth match against Bengal. He went on to slam a half-century on debut.
Pant enjoys a first-class average of over 50 for Delhi, and has even hit a triple hundred in domestic cricket.
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