Rishabh Pant said it is easy to pass opinions as he remains sidelined from India’s ODI squad. Speaking on the Business of Sport podcast, Pant shared his frustration about the current situation. He said, “Definitely, you feel bad when something like this happens,” while focusing on his path to comeback.
When India’s squad for the West Indies ODIs was announced, Pant once again found himself sidelined. Being appointed captain of the Rest of India team for the Irani Cup tie would have come as little compensation, with Pant still harbouring ambitions of playing ODIs for India again. His feelings about being out of the team are no different from those of any other player struggling to find a place in the side, and those emotions were on display as he opened up about his absence from the set-up.
“Definitely, you feel bad when something like this happens. But an athlete’s mindset allows you to feel that when there’s a setback, there is always a comeback. These are things that, as an athlete, you have to deal with in your day-to-day life. People say this happened to me, that happened to me, but for an athlete, this is part and parcel of the game. But at the same time, you know how hard you’re working, and you’re clear in your path to maintain at this level,” Pant said on the Business of Sport podcast.
“To make it happen every day, there is a voice in your head that is very constant in a very disciplined manner. The only thing is it’s easier to pass opinions all the time, but at the same time, people have to wait for things to happen.”
“There is no doubt that I have to make it happen, because for me, I feel like I haven’t had the best of opportunities to give my best, but at the same time, international cricket is changing. Sometimes you have to wait for the chance and make things happen,” Pant added.