“Don’t think too hard about captaincy” - Former India cricketer’s blunt advice to Rishabh Pant ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 Tests
Former India cricketer Hemang Badani has advised Rishabh Pant not to steer hard into his role as vice-captain of the Test team ahead of the England tour. The wicket-keeper was named Shubman Gill's deputy following the Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Pant, now among the senior members of the Indian red-ball side, having been part of the team since 2018, has a massive responsibility to play on and off the field. With many newcomers in the team, and several making their first trip to England for an international tour, the onus is on the newly forged leadership group to smooth out the transition process.
Although the southpaw does not have much red-ball leadership experience under his belt, he has led teams consistently in T20I cricket, including Team India during the home T20I series against South Africa in 2022.
Hemang Badani opined that Gautam Gambhir should have a talk with Rishabh Pant so that the additional leadership responsibility does not hamper his batting in any way.
"I genuinely hope it doesn't change one bit. I think he is somebody who has found the right balance of attacking stroke-making and defensive stroke-making in this cricket. So I don't see any reason why you should try and change that," Badani said in an interview with the Hindustan Times.
"It's important that someone like Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, has a chat with him and speaks to him and says, 'Rishabh tu apna game khel.' (Rishabh, just play your game). Don't think too hard about captaincy, vice captaincy, you're the second in command, none of that," the Delhi Capitals coach added.
Rishabh Pant has not had a phase to remember in recent times, beginning from the home series against New Zealand. The flamboyant player had a mediocre 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series campaign in Australia, before being on the sidelines during Team India's white-ball season. His poor run took a turn for the worse following a disastrous 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
"He needs to think like Rishabh Pant and nothing else" - Hemang Badani on the wicket-keeper's approach for England tour
Rishabh Pant has had tremendous success in England in the past. He made his debut during the 2018 tour, and recorded his maiden Test hundred at The Oval. In the rescheduled fifth Test of the 2021 tour, he smashed an iconic 146 at Edgbaston during the first innings. Overall, in nine Tests in England, he has scored 556 runs at an average of 32.71.
"He needs to think like Rishabh Pant and nothing else. The management will have a massive say in this as to how free he is as a batter. And they should give him the freedom to go and bat with utmost positivity and not hold him back. Because the only challenge is that when you see a batter isn't having the right balance, but he does have the right balance," Badani said.
The first Test between India and England is scheduled to take place at Headingley, Leeds, from Friday, June 20 onwards.