"Everything doesn't have to go to the player" - Rishabh Pant on his approach of insulating players from criticism ahead of IPL 2025

Rishabh Pant has disclosed his approach to protecting his players and himself from criticism as a captain. He said players need not be told everything and internal team discussions shouldn't be revealed outside.

The Lucknow Super Giants bought Pant for a tournament-record ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. The dashing wicketkeeper-batter was recently appointed the franchise's skipper for the upcoming edition of the prestigious league.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener asked Pant how he insulated himself and his players from criticism.

"As a captain, mostly what I try to do is that internally you can discuss 1000 things, but externally, if I am saying I back you, then I am putting my skin under it. Sometimes you have to shield the player. Everything doesn't have to go to the player. Sometimes you have to take care that the internal talks don't come out," Pant responded (13:55).

Pant added that criticism didn't bother him much as a player and that he only concentrated on giving his best.

"As a player, not thinking about it. My only thing is to give my 200 percent when I am on the field regardless of the situation and whether I am doing good or not because my thought is how I can contribute," he elaborated.

Rishabh Pant highlighted that if he hadn't performed well with the bat in a match, he looked to take a brilliant catch or come up with an idea that could change the course of the game. He added that his focus is on the game in such a scenario instead of thinking about external factors.

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"The injury taught me that what is meant to happen will happen eventually" - Rishabh Pant on thoughts about becoming India's future captain

Rishabh Pant suffered grievous injuries in a horrific car accident. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra asked Rishabh Pant whether he had thought about becoming India's future captain, to which he replied (17:15):

"I have thought about it. I used to think more extreme in that way before the injury, but the injury taught me that what is meant to happen will happen eventually. As Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) says - 'Focus on the process, the result will take care of itself.'"

The 27-year-old added that one doesn't get distracted by other things when the focus is on the process.

"It's easier to say, but when you do it every day, it actually makes you like a horse with blinkers on the side of the eyes. Then you are not focusing on what is on the right or the left. Then you are on a path, you are on a journey, and you are doing that," Pant explained.

Rishabh Pant has captained India in five T20Is. Although he has been picked in the Men in Blue's squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England and the subsequent Champions Trophy, Shubman Gill has been named Rohit Sharma's deputy ahead of him.