He can drive you nuts by playing atrocious shots and getting out just when India needed him to play a mature innings.
He can enchant the entire planet -- the cricketing parts of the third rock from the sun, that is -- by tearing apart the best bowling attacks and scoring centuries in no time at all.
Is there a cricketer in the world today like Rishabh Pant?
The soon to be 25 year old (mark October 4 in your diary folks; the lad needs much pyaar on his quarter century) had already scored a superb century and half century in the Edgbaston Test early this month, and just when the carpers began their familiar dirge about his current wobbles in white ball cricket came Sunday's century of such power that he is an automatic sign in for this autumn's T20I World Cup in Australia.
IMAGE: The moment that turned the match in India's favour. England captain and wicket-keeper Jos Buttler fails to stump Pant. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
IMAGE: After he reached his first ODI century, Pant hit David Willey for five consecutive fours, bringing India five runs from victory. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
IMAGE: He then took a single to stay on strike, hit a boundary to finish on 125 and notch up an innings that spectators truly won't erase from their memory for a long time. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
IMAGE: Pant sweeps a ball to the boundary watched by Jos Buttler. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
IMAGE: Like always, Pant lived dangerously; here, he survives a run out attempt by Brydon Carse. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
IMAGE: Pant looks up at the heavens after reaching his hundred, as if to tell his father Rajendra Pant, who passed away in his sleep in April 2017 before his son made it big, that this one is for you Papa. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
IMAGE: No over the top celebrations for Pant after scoring a century. A bashful grin accompanied by an almost reluctant acknowledgement with the bat of his feat to the dressing room and the audience. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
IMAGE: When Man Of the Series Hardik Pandya (a brilliant 71) left at 205 (35.3 overs had been bowled), the Old Trafford crowd knew only Ravindra Jadeja stood between the English bowlers and the Indian tailenders.
No problem for Pant. He finished the game 40 balls later.
Jadeja was unbeaten on 7 when India won :))) Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
IMAGE: One of Pant's biggest champions has always been Rohit Sharma, seen here congratulating him for rescuing India along with Hardik after four wickets had been lost for 72 runs.
Back in November 2019, Ro told reporters: 'He (Rishabh) needs to be allowed to do what he wants to do on the field. I would request everyone to just keep their eyes away from Rishabh Pant for a while.' Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
IMAGE: Ro clearly doesn't being sprayed with bubbly by Pant after the presentations. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
