As milestone beckons, onus on Pant to show more game awareness

For Rishabh Pant, the switch from the slam-bang madness of the Indian Premier League to the slow grind of Test cricket is a welcome change of scenery.For Rishabh Pant, the switch from the slam-bang madness of the Indian Premier League to the slow grind of Test cricket is a welcome change of scenery.

It is the case in the wake of a cruel few months for the wicketkeeper-batter from Delhi. At the IPL, he appeared bruised whilst steering a sinking ship at Lucknow Super Giants. With runs dwindling and defeats piling up like dusty files at a decrepit office, Pant’s decision to step down as captain of the franchise became inevitable long before the announcement last week.

In the midst of the IPL, Pant was also relieved of the vice-captaincy of India’s Test team.

It is far from an ideal position to be in for the 28-year-old going into his 50th Test, against Afghanistan at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium from Saturday. If he is to hold onto his spot, Pant will have to rediscover the level that yielded centuries in Australia, England and South Africa.

In the nets on Thursday, Pant, who obliged the requests of a few fans for photographs later, showed a healthy mix of restraint and aggression against spin. According to India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, the message from head coach Gautam Gambhir is for Pant to show greater situational awareness.

“You don’t need a formal title to be a leader in an elite set-up like this. Rishabh is committed to being a good role model and a senior player,” ten Doeschate told reporters.

“I heard him and Gauti having a chat around that yesterday and how you want to conduct yourself as a senior player extends to your communication and how you are going to play,” the Dutchman elaborated. “We don’t want to take away all the stuff that he does. Occasionally, if Rishabh can adjust his game to play the situation slightly more, I think that is something you will see him work on”.