Team India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has spoken openly about wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant losing the Test vice-captaincy before the one-off Test match against Afghanistan. The decision surprised many fans after the selection committee chose Pant as his deputy in India’s red-ball setup.
India will take on Afghanistan in the one-off Test at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh from June 6 to June 10. The selectors have announced a 15-member squad for the match, with Shubman Gill leading the side and KL Rahul serving as the vice-captain.
Responsibility is only to play for India – Gautam Gambhir on Rishabh Pant
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gautam Gambhir said that leadership positions should not be the main focus of a player. He said that representing India is the biggest responsibility and roles like vice-captaincy are secondary.
“Look, the responsibility is only to play for India. Everything else is a by-product. When you start playing for India, you don’t think about becoming the vice-captain. You think about doing good for India,” Gambhir told reporters.
“So going from one to the other is just a by-product. And at the end of the day, everyone is judged on performance. Be it me, be it support staff, be it any player. At the end of the day, that’s what international cricket is all about. And as far as Rishabh is concerned, we would hope he continues to be like that,” he said.
Pant had to struggle with Lucknow Supergiants during IPL 2026. The left-handed batsman also had a disappointing Test series in South Africa, where he scored 49 runs in four innings at an average of 12.25 as India lost the series 0–2.
It is very important to play according to the conditions in international cricket – Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir said that India does not want Rishabh Pant to change his natural playing style. However, the head coach said that players should understand match situations and take better decisions at the international level.
“It’s not that we will tell them that you have to curb your game. But in international cricket, it is very important to play the situation. It is important to read the situation. At that time, what kind of situation is the team in, what kind of situation demands it and what kind of shot to play.”
“But it is not that any player has been asked to play a game completely different from his natural game. Be it Test cricket, ODI cricket or T20 cricket.”
Gambhir’s comments come after he faced criticism over his shot selection during the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. The wicketkeeper-batsman gave away his wicket at a crucial stage of the match. Pant captained India in that Test, which ended in a 408-run defeat.
The ultimate goal is to score runs and take wickets – Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir said that no matter the format, every player should focus on contributing to the success of the team. The India head coach said that scoring runs and taking wickets are the most important aspects of the game and players must be ready to adapt to different conditions.
“The ultimate objective is to score a run and take a wicket. You can never lose it. It doesn’t matter how you make it, it’s up to you.”
Despite struggles in the Test series against South Africa, Pant has had a great year overall. He scored 629 runs in seven Test matches at an average of 48.38. During India’s Test tour of England, Pant scored 479 runs in four matches at an average of 68.42, which included two centuries and three fifties.
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