The cricket world first took notice of Rishabh Pant in 2016, during the Under-19 World Cup, where he scored a match-winning century. This performance led to a lucrative contract in the IPL auction, setting the stage for his professional career. On October 4th, the explosive batsman turned 28, continuing to captivate fans.
Pant, who was born in Uttarakhand, built the foundation of his cricket career in Delhi. His success is a result of his hard work, family’s support, coach’s guidance and a famous Gurudwara. The era Pant started his journey in was dominated by MS Dhoni. Like Dhoni, Pant chose to be a wicketkeeper-batsman, but coming from a small town posed challenges.
Since there was no organized cricket in Uttarakhand, his family sent him to Delhi to pursue his dream. At 12, he began traveling with his mother to train at the Sonnet Cricket Club under coach Tarak Sinha.
With limited resources, Pant and his mother found refuge at the Gurudwara Moti Bagh Sahib in South Delhi. They stayed there, ate at the langar, and practiced. This Gurudwara is of significance, as it is linked to the 10th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
It is believed that Guru Gobind Singh camped here in 1707. The place is thus regarded as sacred. Pant, who made his career with the Gurudwara’s blessings, showed resilience by playing an innings soon after his father’s demise in 2017. He played a fighting innings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.