'Even Sachin took time to score his first ton': Ex-India chief selector's reply on Rishabh Pant's ODI century drought

In 24 appearances in the format since 2018, Pant has scored 715 runs for India at 32.50. The tally comprises five half-century scores.

In his four years of international career, young Rishabh Pant has achieved many milestones, broken quite a few records and showed a massive transformation as a player which saw him gain a position among the think tanks in Indian cricket and be touted as a future leader of the team as well. However, the one feat that has eluded him has been a century in the ODI format and when asked about the same former chairman of selectors Kiran More gave a cheeky reply. 

Sachin Tendulkar and Rishabh Pant

In 24 appearances in the format since 2018, Pant has scored 715 runs for India at 32.50. The tally comprises five half-centuries, four of which came in the last 12 months, his highest being 85 against South Africa in January this year. But Pant is yet to reach the triple-figure mark in ODIs.

“Even Sachin Tendulkar took time to score his first ODI hundred!” said former Indian wicketkeeper More with a laugh in an interview with The Week, who worked with the youngster at the National Cricket Academy.

“The expectations of Pant were from his batting; there was a lot of pressure on him, but he backed himself and his game (as batter) has gone up for me," he added.

When asked about the same to Pant, he revealed that while personal milestones are important, he tries not to think about it during matches as it tends to affect his performance.

"Personal goals are important, but I do not focus on landmarks. I am fine scoring 97. I just want to give my 200 per cent. If I think too much about landmarks, then I will not be able to perform in the next match. I just want to [do] whatever the team management wants me to do. If I can win matches for India, that is the biggest kick for me," he said.

Meanwhile in the red-ball format, Pant has been force to reckon with as he scored two centuries and 3 fifties to amass 663 runs in 19 innings at 36.83. Two of those fifty-plus scores came in overseas conditions - 50 against England at the Oval in September 2021 and an unbeaten century in Cape Town in January this year.

Speaking to The Week, India batting coach Vikram Rathour admitted that Pant has a more defined role in white-ball cricket now. “He will be a finisher at number five or six, he knows that. Nobody is pushing him to get a hundred in ODIs. He will always be an impact player and if he is consistently getting 40-50 and winning it for the team, then that is fine.”