New Chandigarh: The last two months have been among the most difficult in Rishabh Pant’s cricketing career since his remarkable comeback from a life-threatening car accident. Hailed as one of India’s biggest match-winners a year ago after his successful return to international cricket and impressive performances in England, Pant has had to deal with a lot across formats.
First came the disappointment of losing the Test vice-captaincy. Then, Pant was omitted from the ODI squad for the series against Afghanistan that follows the one-off Test starting here on Saturday. His struggles extended to the Indian Premier League (IPL) where his second season as captain of Lucknow Super Giants ended in frustration.
Pant’s form with the bat dipped in the IPL. Acquired for a staggering ₹27 crore in the 2025 auction, the wicketkeeper-batter managed 312 runs in 14 matches this IPL season. Lucknow Super Giants endured another disappointing campaign, slipping to the bottom of the table after finishing seventh in 2025. Pant stepped down as captain after the IPL.
Yet, as India prepare for the one-off Test against Afghanistan at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh, Pant finds himself returning to the format that has defined his reputation.
For the past few days, the left-hander has spent long hours in the nets under head coach Gautam Gambhir and the support staff. KL Rahul has replaced him as vice-captain, the Indian team management has made it clear that Pant’s influence within the group remains unchanged.
India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate offered a strong endorsement of the 28-year-old during a media interaction on Wednesday, insisting that leadership is not determined by titles.
“I don’t think you need a formal title to be a leader in a setup like this,” he said.
The former Netherlands international said Pant continues to embrace his responsibilities as one of the senior members of a relatively young Indian side.
“I think Rishabh understands that and I think he’s committed to being a good role model and a senior player.”
Ten Doeschate also revealed that Pant and Gambhir have discussed the responsibilities on and off the field that come with seniority.
“I actually heard him and Gauti having a chat around that yesterday: how you want to conduct yourself as a senior player extends to your communication but also how you’re going to play.”
The bigger challenge for Pant now is translating his immense talent into consistent performances. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for fearless stroke-play and match-winning innings, particularly in Tests. But, there have also been occasions when his attacking instincts have led to avoidable dismissals.
Ten Doeschate indicated that the team management wants Pant to retain his natural flair while developing a greater awareness of match situations.
“With Rishabh’s brilliance, we don’t want to take away all the stuff that he does,” he said. “Occasionally, if he can adjust his game to play the situation slightly more, I think that’s something you’ll see him work on.”
Importantly, there is little concern in the camp about his mindset despite the recent disappointments. “He’s been in great spirits again. He’s always one of those guys who’s happy and cheerful and drives the spirit in the team,” said ten Doeschate.
The Afghanistan Test will be Pant’s 50th. Only MS Dhoni and Syed Kirmani have played more as designated wicketkeeper-batters for India.
His numbers in the format underline why India continue to place so much faith in him. In 49 Tests, Pant has scored 3,476 runs at an average of 42.91 and a strike rate of 74.24, including eight centuries and 18 half-centuries. Many of those runs have come in demanding overseas conditions, highlighting his status as one of India’s most impactful red-ball cricketers.
Doeschate also provided an update on fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who had been under an injury cloud. “Siraj bowled yesterday, he looked absolutely fine,” he said.
