India’s Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant was on point with his inputs for the bowlers on Saturday, November 15, at the Eden Gardens and his invaluable advice to Kuldeep Yadav helped India bag a big wicket
on Day 2 of the Test against South Africa.
Pant stepped into a bigger role after regular skipper Shubman Gill retired hurt early in India’s innings with a neck spasm.
Simon Harmer finished with 4/30 from 14.2 overs, teasing India’s six left-handers, a first in their Test history, while tall pacer Marco Jansen (3/35) used steep bounce to clean up the lower order as India folded for a paltry 189.
With a lead of just 30 runs, India required quick breakthroughs to protect it. At stumps, Ravindra Jadeja’s 4/27 in 13 overs saw South Africa in tatters at 93/7 with an overall lead of 63.
One moment that stood out late in the final session was Pant’s sharp call from behind the stumps, which led to a crucial wicket.
“KD (Kuldeep), 2 ball idhr se dalde, please.. (just 2 balls from this side please),” Pant was heard saying on the stump mic.
Kuldeep switched to around the wicket for the very next ball and it paid off. South Africa pacer Marco Jansen went for a slog sweep but only managed a top edge. Watch the video here:
Janson Wicket planning by Rishabh Pant.
Pant to kuldeep – 2 ball idhr se dalde, please.. chla jayega
Next ball out 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hPk2cfASiw
— ???????????? (@rishabhhive) November 15, 2025
Star India batter KL Rahul flung himself to his left and pulled off a sharp, low catch to dismiss Jansen for 13 off 16 deliveries.
Pant’s reaction said it all, a soft smile as the wicket fell. Jansen’s dismissal added to a collapse that had already started to unfold.
Star allrounder Ravindra Jadeja spearheaded the charge with figures of 4/29, dismissing Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs to derail South Africa’s hopes of bouncing back from their modest first-innings total of 159.
