Took injection but couldn’t hold bat properly: DC captain Rishabh Pant recalls Australia Test series playing with an injury

Remembering the 2021 Test series with Australia, Delhi Capitals’ (DC) captain Rishabh Pant shared how he was at the lowest point of his life, having been dropped from two formats and facing criticisms over his performance.

“I wasn’t talking to anyone, not even family or friends. I needed my own space. I just wanted to give my 200 per cent each and every day,” the wicketkeeper-batter who joined the Delhi Capitals in 2016, spoke to Jemimah Rodrigues on ‘Dream Big story’.

Pant, who replaced an injured Shreyas Iyer at the helm in the UAE leg of the IPL 2021 spoke about the tough blows he has had to face on and off the field. He describes how he had to prove himself and live up to the accolades of being the second-highest scorer for India when he previously played in Australia.

But it was a series of back-to-back blows for Pant. After sitting out of the first practice match due to a bad neck, he suffered an unbearable bruised elbow while batting on day three of the third Test.
 
With stalwart players like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood, Pant was under tremendous pressure to perform and was unsure if he would be able to salvage the situation while fighting the pain.

“Third match we went there. We were under pressure, they gave us some 400 something. Injury happened in the first innings. He bowled a bounce, it kept low and it hit my elbow and I was unable to move my hand in the first innings. I didn’t keep in the second innings. Wriddhi bhai did all the keeping,” Pant said.

“We went for a scan and it was bone bruise. It wasn’t a major injury, but it was very painful. We were talking to the physios because I had to bat, by hook or by crook. So we decided to take injection to help with the pain. We have to see in the nets obviously, at first. So, I took the painkiller injection during the game, went to the nets and I was trying to hold the bat but it was paining. I couldn’t hold my bat properly,” he added.

Pant revealed that he took a painkiller pill as well before batting and backed himself constantly.

“I was just telling myself, ‘you have to do this, there is no choice.’ Firstly, there was no intention of winning the match. First goal was to draw, because it was the last day and we needed 400 runs. Then there was an idea of making me bat at No.5 because I was injured and even if I got out then the batters to come could still look to remake. It was still paining and on top of that I took a painkiller pill too,” the wicketkeeper-batter said.

Interestingly, Pant’s famous knock of 97 and the crucial partnership he build with Cheteshwar Pujara before a valiant effort from Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin helped India eke out a draw in Sydney.

Notably, the 24-year-old also went on to play a key role in India’s historic win against Australia in the fourth Test, which was the latter’s first loss at the Gabba in 32 years.

Further talking about battling crowd whispers and criticisms to hear them cheer him on, Rishabh said, “There was nothing else for me to focus on but my game”.

After beginning the season with a victory over Mumbai Indians, Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals will take on Lucknow Super Giants in Mumbai on April 7.