IPL 2022: Exclusive - Can't give up what has brought me this far, says Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant talks to TOI about dealing with constant criticism, working his way up, captaining Delhi Capitals, balancing life outside cricket & his reading habits...Rishabh Pant is a busy man these days. He is juggling gym sessions, net-training and shoots all day. This thankless schedule is the life of a regular IPL captain these days. Yet, his voice has an unusual calm as he squeezes out half an hour for a chat with TOI. He is the No. 1 wicketkeeper in India right now and a box office draw in world cricket. Ask him about his most satisfying and disappointing moment post the Gabba heist last year, and he calmly says: "What I have understood over a period of time is that playing international cricket is not the destination, it's a journey." Excerpts from an exclusive interview...This is your seventh season with Delhi Capitals. You became the captain at the age of 24. How does it feel?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. When I came to the IPL setup, we had gun fast bowlers like Pat Cummins, Shami, Rabada and Coulter-Nile. I told myself 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. I added all the learning to my game but I never wanted to change my style of play.

People have big expectations from you. You have a reputation of being a crowd puller. How difficult is it to not overdo things?It's an honour for me. If people are expecting things from me, that means I am doing something good in life. It's a