'He’s free from pressure of being India’s vice-captain in Tests and captain in IPL' - Sunil Gavaskar lauds Rishabh Pant after Day 1 heroics

Sunil Gavaskar heaped praise on Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill, who played brilliantly on Day 1 of the only Test between India and Afghanistan on Saturday, June 6, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.

Gavaskar said it is a delight to watch Shubman, who smashed a fluent century, bat. The former India opener mentioned that Shubman almost has the perfect technique and his shot selection is also on point.

"What a delight it is to watch Shubman Gill bat. He makes it look

simply so easy. There is a rare purity in his batting. The way he brings his bat and pad together, the way he leans into the drive there is perfection, almost perfection, in everything he does. His head stays still, his balance is impeccable, and his shot selection is crisp. That is what makes his batting so pleasing to the eye. He doesn't just occupy the crease; he dominates it," Gavaskar said while speaking on Cricket Live.

"He rotates the strike without taking risks, and when the loose ball comes, he puts it away. There is no drama, no unnecessary flashiness it’s just solid, high-quality Test batting. In an era where batters often look to attack every ball, Gill reminds you of the old-school virtues - patience, timing, and placement. That is why he is such a joy to watch," he added.

Shubman finished unbeaten on 103 off 143 balls, hitting 11 fours and one six. He will continue batting on Day 2 and will want to score his second double century.

Rishabh Pant was removed from vice-captaincy ahead of this series and replaced by KL Rahul. He also relinquished captaincy of the Lucknow Super Giants after IPL 2026 turned out to be a disappointing campaign. Gavaskar believes that the wicketkeeper-batter doesn't have to deal with the added pressure that comes with such roles, and that helped him on Saturday.

"It was good to see Rishabh Pant bat so freely in his 50th Test. He’s completely free from the pressure of being India’s vice-captain in Test Cricket and captaining an IPL side. He looked completely relaxed. You could see it in his body language when he walked out to bat. No tense shoulders and visible stress. He just looked calm and ready. Then came that one over where he broke free with three sixes. That changed everything. You could sense that he now wants to make a statement with a big hundred. He is already halfway there. Tomorrow, he might continue in the same way, maybe even a little more aggressively. If he does, he could take India to 500 or 550 quite quickly," Gavaskar said.

Pant finished not out on 50 off just 70 balls, hitting two fours and three sixes. After giving himself some time to settle in, the 28-year-old cut loose in an over from Abdul Malik, where he hit three sixes. If Pant can get himself to three figures, it will do a world of good to his confidence.