New Delhi, November 24 (IANS). After Indian wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), he was bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for Rs 27 crore, his childhood coach Devendra Sharma expressed happiness, saying ‘It A proud moment for me.
Former Delhi Capitals captain Pant was bought by LSG for Rs 27 crore at the Abadi Al Johar Arena in Jeddah on Sunday, which is the highest bid so far in the history of the tournament. Pant’s bid overtook former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024-winning captain Shreyas Iyer, who was bought by Punjab Kings for Rs 26.75 crore earlier in the day.
Pant’s childhood coach Devendra Sharma was filled with pride while speaking to ‘IANS’ on this important occasion. He said, “He has become a star player now and it is a proud moment for me to see him become the highest paid cricketer in IPL history. He scored a century against Sri Lanka and another century against South Africa. Just last week he met me before leaving for Australia tour and I hope he helps India win the Test series in Australia. He did it many times and will perform brilliantly in IPL also.
He said, “As you all know, LSG has bought him for the highest amount ever in IPL history. I hope he will lead the team to victory. I already have two other players from my training – Ayush Badouni and one other – so it’s a proud moment for me.” Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) wasted no time in making the first bid, but Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) As the figures mounted, it became clear that Pant’s value went beyond his batting and keeping skills; he is a natural leader and match winner.
Just when the bidding was about to reach its peak, Delhi Capitals used their Right to Match (RTM) card and included Pant for some time. However, Lucknow retaliated by making a whopping bid of Rs 27 crore, forcing Delhi to back out and setting a new benchmark for the IPL auction.
Devendra Sharma said, “There was a time when things could have been very different. People often crack under pressure, but cricket is a sport where it is very important to bounce back. After his accident, I personally went to meet him in Dehradun. His condition was so bad that it took him three to four months to walk again and that too under anesthesia. It was very painful.
“It was incredibly difficult to recover from that and play again. It’s hard to put into words what he went through. He first came to me as a young boy in 2010. He was always confident and determined, And his mental game was very strong. Right from the beginning, I still remember his trial match, in which he scored three centuries in a row. He went on to play big tournaments at the Under-16 and Under-19 level, performed well and later represented Delhi and the India Under-19 team. It was a proud moment for me as a coach to see him play in the IPL.
Sharma shared information about Pant’s mental toughness and resilience, especially his recovery from a career-threatening accident.
“Mentally, he is very strong. As you all know, Rishabh Pant is a match-winner. You have seen his performance in the Sri Lanka series and against South Africa, and I am confident that he will shine against Australia as well. He An important player for the team. In the future, I see him as the captain of the Indian team.
Recalling Pant’s early days, Sharma said, “Even as a child, he was always laughing and never took too much pressure. To reduce the pressure, he would often joke and laugh. You would see him behind the stumps. You can also see him talking to the batsmen. Recently, I have not been able to talk to him because the Test match is going on, but I will talk to him this evening before the Australia tour. When we met, we played IPL And the challenges ahead were discussed.
Sharma highlighted Pant’s cheerful nature and ability to handle pressure, “To see that little boy become the highest-paid player in IPL history – it’s a matter of great pride for me as a coach.”
Pant, who captained Delhi Capitals for three seasons, was released from the team ahead of the mega auction as the team retained four players – Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs and Abhishek Porel. This brilliant wicketkeeper-batsman has played 111 IPL matches and scored 3284 runs with 18 half-centuries and one century in his career.
-IANS
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