Rishabh Pant: The Orange Cassidy of Cricket
For over 150 years, cricket has been steeped in tradition, with players adhering to specific methods and conventions to achieve success. However, the game took a turn when Rishabh Pant burst onto the scene, smashing just the second ball of his Test career at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Simultaneously, on the other side of the world, James Cipperly, known in the wrestling world as Orange Cassidy, made his debut for All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Cassidy is not your typical wrestling persona. In a realm filled with larger-than-life characters and super-athletic performers, he stands out by wearing denim in the ring, keeping his hands in his pockets, and adopting a slow, laid-back demeanor. This unconventional approach mirrors that of Rishabh Pant.
Cipperly has described his Orange Cassidy character as a giant middle finger to the traditional norms of professional wrestling, inspired by Paul Rudd’s character from Wet Hot American Summer. Similarly, Pant embodies a disregard for conventional batting techniques. He often appears unbalanced at the crease, occasionally falling off balance to create extraordinary shots out of seemingly impossible situations.
While Joe Root masterfully executes the reverse scoop, Harry Brook excels at the traditional scoop, and Ben Duckett is known for his sweeping prowess, Pant transcends these styles. He effortlessly plays a variety of strokes, including fine sweeps and flicks off the stumps, without ever needing to shuffle to the offside. His batting challenges every conventional notion of attritional play.
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Interestingly, AEW’s Tony Khan has acknowledged Cassidy’s popularity among audiences and Warner Bros, making him a major draw, despite his unconventional appearance and antics, like debating Chris Jericho on climate change in the middle of the ring.
Rishabh Pant shares this essence. Whether flicking a delivery on off-stump, reverse scooping a 148 kph delivery from Jofra Archer, charging at James Anderson at Edgbaston, or tearing apart Nathan Lyon at the SCG, Pant defies preparation. His unpredictability and disdain for tradition make him an incredible outlier in the cricketing world, both as a cricketer and a batsman
