Rishabh Pant (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Rishabh Pant will lead the Indian Test team in the second match against South Africa in Guwahati following the unavailability of Shubman Gill. The team currently leads 0-1 in the series against Temba Bavuma’s team.Pant, who will make his Test captaincy debut at the same venue where he started his one-day career, spoke to reporters during the pre-match press conference on Friday.Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India has consistently prioritized picking all-rounders over specialists across all formats.
Rishabh Pant Press Conference: On Shubman Gill’s injury, India Playing XI, pitch and more
In the first Test match, the team included three spin-bowling all-rounders. “I feel sometimes it’s a balance for the team combination. You have to see if a specialist player helps you more or an all-rounder gives you more stability in the team. So it’s all about finding that team balance and the way you want to play cricket,” Pant added.Discussing his leadership approach, Pant emphasized his belief in allowing players to express themselves freely.“I want to be someone who gives that freedom and I want people and players to learn around me and ultimately make the right decisions for the team. That’s the real goal. And of course, whatever knowledge I have, I’ll help them on the pitch, no matter what,” he explained.The Guwahati Stadium holds a special significance for Pant as it was the venue of his ODI debut for India. Sharing his thoughts on the venue, he compared the pitch conditions to Eden Gardens, where the previous match ended in three days.“Firstly, I would say this ground is very special in my heart. I made my one-day debut here. I’m playing my first Test captain match here. So it will always be special for me. And I feel it’s special for the whole of Guwahati,” he continued.“Because it’s my first Test match here. So everyone has a special feeling going here. And pitch-wise, I think this wicket will play better. It’s definitely a better wicket to bat on. Obviously, it will turn around after a few days. But it’s going to be a good match.”The stand-in Test captain indicated that the Guwahati pitch will offer better batting conditions compared to the previous venue, although he expects the surface to help spin players during the match.
