"I have seen old videos of Mahi bhai" - Rishabh Pant's stunning revelation before IPL 2025 of playing unorthodox shots

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant opened up about playing unorthodox shots ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Pant became the costliest player in IPL history, with the Lucknow Super Giants shelling out a whopping ₹27 crore for his services.

Talking on JioHotstar, Pant revealed that he watched videos of players playing such shots in the past, including former Indian captain MS Dhoni. Pant reflected that with modern day cricket changing, field placements are also different and players have adapted accordingly.

However, he added that how a player reads the game defines how he will play in the end.

“Earlier, quite a few players played these shots. I have seen old videos of Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni), and he, too, has played the lap shot. But percentage-wise, I think they used to do it less. The game is changing now—field placements are different, and players are adapting. Some might feel it’s necessary for their game, while others may not. At the end of the day, how you read the game determines how you play it," Pant said.

Rishabh Pant also commented on the reason behind his bat slipping out of his hands at times. He said that it happens as he holds his bottom hand lightly, trying to use it for support.

Although it appears as though he is throwing his bat, Pant said that his approach and mindset is to try and find a boundary.

"When I take that chance and overreach, I need to do something to maintain balance. At times, it may look like I’m throwing the bat, but in reality, I’m just trying to make the most of that delivery. If my bat slips, if it's not in my hand, or even if it hits my head—my only focus at that moment is finding the boundary. That’s my thought process," Pant stated.

Rishabh Pant also spoke about his coach Tarak Sinha's views on his shot selection and style of batting. He revealed that his coach would get angry and asked him to work on his defense. The cricketer from Delhi added that he would defend the ball while his coach was watching and would play the big shots while he was away.

"When I joined Tarak Sir, he used to get really angry. He had one rule—‘You must learn defense first. If you master defense, you’ll master everything else.’ He believed I already knew how to hit big shots, so he wanted me to learn how to defend. I used to keep an eye on him while batting. If he was watching, I’d play proper defense, playing drives and textbook shots. But the moment I saw him looking away, I would go back to playing my natural attacking game," Pant continued.

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Rishabh Pant reveals he used to do gymnastics as a kid

Rishabh Pant playing football. (Image Source: Getty)

Rishabh Pant, when asked about his flexibility and acrobatic style, revealed that he would do gymnastics in his younger days.

"I used to do gymnastics as a kid. My gymnastics coach always told me that it would come in handy in life," he said.

The wicketkeeper-batter also spoke about how it has played a huge role in his fitness and how the Indian team trainer appreciated his gymnastics coach.

"Basu Sir, our Indian team trainer, once told me in 2018-19, ‘Thank you to your gymnastics coach because what he taught you in childhood is still benefiting you today.’ I kept practicing hand springs, and it has played a huge role in my fitness for sure," Pant added.

Rishabh Pant was a part of the Indian team that won the 2025 Champions Trophy in the UAE, and is now set to lead Lucknow in the upcoming IPL season.