Rishabh Pant opens up on leadership as vice-captain and what he has to offer in England

Rishabh Pant spoke with maturity and an inner calm as he addressed the media in England on Wednesday, ahead of the first Test which begins on June 20. As vice-captain to Shubman Gill, there was clarity in what Pant harped on, most important, how he does not see himself as a senior player but someone who can contribute, chip in and and share his experiences.

In an ideal setting, Pant should have been the captain of the Indian Test side after the sudden retirements of captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and, before that R.Ashwin. Well, captaincy in Indian cricket has not been bestowed on folks so easily. There is a long list of those who should have been given leadership roles but were not considered. Of course, one man who said ‘no’ to captaincy for the sake of his own longevity to the cause of Indian cricket is Jasprit Bumrah.

For those who have seen Pant being badgered and bullied on social media platforms, especially during the Indian Premier League 2025 edition where he was skipper of the Lucknow Super Giants team, Pant did not care. All kinds of stories were also cooked up, how the LSG owner would have also disapproved Pant’s batting technique. Truth be told, Pant the captain in the IPL and Pant the vice-captain of the Indian test team are two different characters.

Yes, Pant is audacious and he is also bold and daring. For those who are old school, like Sunny Gavaskar, who wields the mike, Pant would ensure he skips a heart beat now and then. The venerable Gavaskar also has called Pant ‘stupid, stupid’ on air when he has played a reckless shot in Test cricket. Pant being Pant, he knows he takes more chances than an inveterate gambler at the betting tills in the casinos of Las Vegas, USA. At that same time, Pant has scored centuries overseas in big countries, Australia, England and South Africa included. Pant explained a lot on what his experience means and the tag of a senior in the side does not mean he is part of the team with some kind of aura. In fact, Pant spoke about taking on responsibility and how he looks forward to the five Test series.

It was in fitness, Pant acknowledged how much he and the side would miss the experience of the seniors who have retired. But there was also that ‘gotta move on’ touch when he spoke on how juniors in the side had to be made to feel more comfortable. For sure, in this Indian Test side, apart from Shubman Gill, who is now the skipper, if one talks of experience, KL Rahul and Pant are two men with records to boot.

The way ahead, for those still nursing a hangover RoKo are gone, Pant has explained the process. It will be interesting to see how he bats. As a wicket-keeper batter who has played under two captains, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Pant would have picked up a lot. What people also need to understand, Pant is in a vantage point as wicket-keeper. That position allows him to survey the ground like a ‘Field Marshal’ and help the skipper as well as the bowler. There can be no ‘stupid stupid’ comment on Pant, at least in this aspect. From the position behind the wicket, Pant gets  macro view to help the captain in DRS (decision review system) calls as well.

Everyone knows, fans and bookmakers -- Ladbrokes and William Hill included -- England are the obvious favourites at home as they increase the pressure from the first Test in Leeds. As for India, to head into a new Test cycle as the underdog was not by choice. This is where Pant, the Rambo of Indian cricket, becomes important. If you want to knows his value, flip through his past performances in England.