Had chills when Pant came out to bat: Hope

CHENNAI: When Rishabh Pant walked in at the fall of David Warner’s wicket in the first game against Punjab Kings, Shai Hope, the other batter in the middle, experienced ‘chills’.

“I was there when he walked out to bat and it gave me chills to see how the crowd reacted,” he tells this daily. “It was an away game for us but to see that… it’s great to see that he has recovered from that incident. Hopefully he can go from strength to strength and show the world what Pant has to offer.”

Hope, who made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in that game, takes this daily inside the franchise dressing room on the morning of Pant’s return to competitive cricket. “It was great, anytime you have a guy like him in the set-up, the mood is lifted thanks to his positive energy and the kind of character he is. I’m really happy to see him out there; it means a lot to cricket and Capitals.”

Even otherwise, the 30-year-old was compelled to talk about the atmosphere. “It could have been better if we had won the game,” he says. “But it was a really good experience (with the debut). Feeling the atmosphere, it’s completely different to seeing it on TV. It was nice to get out and see what it’s like.”

He was also fairly intimate with what the team management has told Hope this year. “Be yourself, there’s a reason why you are here. Be who you are as a batter or as a bowler.” In the first game, he was sandwiched between two ultra aggressive openers (David Warner and Mitchell Marsh) and Pant. Does that mean his role is that of an anchor? “You have to assess the conditions,” he said. “How you play depends on the situation of the game. Those guys are quality batters and to have them at the top, any bowler seeing them at the crease would give us an edge. It’s good to have such qualities. Hopefully the experience translates to solid runs and solid wins for the team.”