Rishabh Pant is set to lead India in the second Test versus South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, starting on Saturday, November 22, after Shubman Gill was ruled out of the series decider due to his neck injury. He served as the acting captain in the first Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, after Shubman batted only three balls in India's first innings and left the field injured. The World Test Champions won the match by 30 runs.
Legendary former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said
that it is not easy for a stopgap captain to lead a team that has recently lost a Test match. However, he backed the experienced wicketkeeper-batter to excel in the role.
“It’s never easy to come and fill in for a stopgap captain, especially when you’ve lost a Test match a few days before. Rishabh is reasonably an experienced Test-match player now and being a wicketkeeper probably helps him see how the game is evolving and what’s happening in the game,” Ponting said while speaking on the latest episode of ICC Review.
“So, he’s done it in IPL for the last few years and did it for Delhi before that. I think he will be fine. It will be interesting to see how he plays as captain and how he manages his style of play as a batter. I think he will handle the occasion fine," he added.
Pant recently led India A in the two unofficial Tests against South Africa A in Bengaluru. The series ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Coming to the ongoing two-match Test series against South Africa, India will have to bounce back strongly after being beaten in their own game in Kolkata. On a turning track, the Proteas defended a 124-run target on Day 3. The Men in Blue will be under a bit of pressure, and the absence of Gill, who is their leading run-scorer in Tests this year, only adds to their concerns.
