Ahead of the IPL 2022 season opener, Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant revered two figures who played essential roles in his cricketing journey, in an interview with The Times of India.  

Pant recalled memories with his father who passed away in 2017, and his former coach Tarak Sinha, who succumbed to lung cancer last November. 

“I wanted to come back and meet him. I really miss my father. When my father left me, I was playing cricket. Tarak sir was like my second father. When he left us, I was again busy playing. These people have taken me where I stand today. I tried my best to provide all the support he (Tarak sir) needed from there. He told me, ‘Doesn’t matter what happens in life, you have to keep playing cricket. ‘ You need to take care of your family and that’s what I have tried,” Pant told TOI. 

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“No one can fill the void created by my father and Tarak sir. But you have to have people around you. I share my problems with my mother sometimes. Devendra Sharma (Sinha’s student and colleague at Sonnet Club) is there. I have a really small circle. Everyone has his own place. Friends and family have their own separate places in my life,” he added.

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Elucidating his seven-year-long journey with IPL team Delhi Capitals, the 24-year-old captain said, “When I first came to the Capitals, I got a lot of confidence after meeting the owners, support staff. In the last three-four years, we have changed a lot as a team. I wanted to become the best player of the franchise first. I started learning from everyone around me.”

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He added, “When I came to the IPL setup, we had gun fast bowlers like Pat Cummins, Shami, Rabada and Coulter-Nile. I told myself that if I can play these prime international bowlers, I will get confidence. All these things have helped me reach the place where I am today.”