Regardless of the opposition, we strive to play with the same intensity – Rishabh Pant

As India prepares for the upcoming Bangladesh challenge, Indian wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant, made it very clear that it is not going to be wise to take the hosts lightly. Brimming with confidence after a 2-0 win against Pakistan in the latter’s backyard, Bangladesh will be hoping to thwart India as well.

With 10 Tests slated to be played in the next five months, India will also have to be careful that they do not have an unwanted slip-up which can result in a shift in the WTC points table that is currently aced by Rohit Sharma and company. Talking to Jio Cinema, Rishabh Pant made it very clear that caution must be practiced by India but that had an undertone of confidence as well.

Pant said, “Asian countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka perform well in Asian conditions because they are accustomed to the wickets. As the Indian cricket team, we focus solely on our own standards and how we can improve. Regardless of the opposition, we strive to play with the same intensity and give our 100 percent every single day.”

Talking about the pressure, Pant added, “Pressure will always be there because in international cricket, you can't take any series lightly. The margin between winning and losing is very small, and nowadays, the gap between international teams isn't much either.”

He talked further about how the Duleep Trophy can be ideal match practice for the Indian players, stating, “It is very important for us to play domestic cricket because as a cricketer, match practice is always very important. especially coming back to domestic cricket, the youngsters also learn a lot of things from us — they see you playing here even after playing international cricket. There is a lot to give back to domestic cricket. It also gives us the opportunity to share all the learning and experiences from international cricket with our colleagues, especially with the young players and newcomers; it gives them a huge boost since we all have reached here from playing domestic cricket.”

He also said that coming back to the domestic echelons has special emotions for him, adding, “It is an amazing feeling for me, also because when I met with the accident two years ago, I used to always think about when I will be able to play for India again. In the last six months I (have) played IPL and we (have) also won the World Cup. It's a great feeling as I had always dreamt of winning the World Cup since I was a kid.” a