As the midday sun beat down on a scorching Thursday at the New Chandigarh stadium, the focus of the Indian cricket team’s practice session converged on a familiar, explosive figure. Just days ago, Rishabh Pant looked like a man carrying the weight of a fracturing world. He was visibly rattled towards the tail end of a bruising IPL 2026 campaign, an emotional spillover that culminated in an expletive-laden post-match vent. The outburst, tellingly, came mere hours after the national selectors announced the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, revealing that Pant had been stripped of the vice-captaincy.
Yet, if the outside world expected a sulking superstar in transition, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate quickly dismantled that narrative. Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s intense training block, the former Netherlands captain provided the definitive angle on where the dynamic southpaw stands: Pant doesn’t need an official designation to lead.
“I don’t think you need a formal title to be a leader. With the new set-up like this, I think Rishabh understands that and he’s committed to being a good role model and senior player,” Doeschate said.
“He’s been in great spirits. He’s always one of those guys who’s happy and cheerful and drives the spirit in the team. We’ve got no complaints from him. You wouldn’t notice that his role in the team has changed. No concerns about Rishabh.”
HE IS BRILLIANT: DOESCHATE
Ten Doeschate’s most compelling revelation wasn’t just about Pant’s physical sharpness in the nets, but the striking social dynamic unfolding on the park. The assistant coach noted that he had spent time watching Pant and newly appointed captain Shubman Gill deep in tactical conversation.
“I actually heard him and Shubman having a chat around that yesterday – how you want to conduct yourself as a senior player and extend communication as to how you’re going to play,” he said.
Ten Doeschate, however, noted that the wicketkeeper-batter would be looking to work on his game, especially when it comes to reining in his natural instincts to suit different situations.
“He’s brilliant. We don’t want to take away all the stuff that he does. Occasionally, if he can adjust his game to play the situation slightly more, then that’s something you’ll see him work on.”
Addressing the decision, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had clarified that removing the vice-captaincy was not a punitive measure, but rather a strategic move designed to liberate the dynamic southpaw. The management’s ultimate goal is to help Pant focus entirely on his batting and unlock his absolute ceiling as a match-winner.
“Rishabh is an incredible Test player. Obviously, he is not part of the ODI squad at the moment,” Agarkar said, emphasising the clarity in their current vision for him. “We want him to become the best Test player that he has always been. I don’t think there is any concern with his spot in the Test team.”
Indeed, the leadership snub does not reflect a loss of faith in Pant’s red-ball value.
Even after battling through injury during the previous England Test series, Pant enjoyed a sensational 2025 season in red-ball cricket. Across seven matches and 13 innings, he plundered 629 runs at an elite average of 48.38, striking at a blistering rate of 77.75. That stellar run included two magnificent centuries during the Leeds Test against England, alongside four half-centuries. These staggering numbers are the ultimate testament to why the team management view him as an indispensable pillar of the Test side, irrespective of his white-ball status.
– Ends
