India’s stand-in captain Rishabh Pant has been in the news for his batting form as well as his leadership in the ongoing second and final Test against South Africa in Guwahati.
After Shubman Gill was ruled out due to a neck injury, Rishabh Pant stepped in hoping to bring energy and confidence. Instead, the situation has turned into a nightmare for the hosts. In the first innings, India had already slipped badly, and Pant was out early.
Rishabh Pant’s batting failure and confused captaincy hurt India in Guwahati.
Instead of steadying the innings, the left-handed batsman went for a risky big shot against Marco Jensen and lost his wicket at a time when India desperately needed calm batting. Many felt that the shot was unnecessary, especially from the captain in a pressure situation.
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But it was not just his batting but also his captaincy that disappointed many. On the fourth day, Indian fans and former cricketers were amazed to see Pant’s decisions and overall body language on the field.
Field placement seemed confused, the Indian cricket team was drained of energy, and their reactions lacked urgency. Even former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his disappointment at Pant’s body language on the fourth day.
Ravichandran Ashwin surprised by Rishabh Pant’s lackluster energy as India finish bottom in Guwahati Test
Ravichandran Ashwin has openly admitted that what he saw on the field broke his heart. The former Indian off-spinner pointed out that the team’s intent seemed weak and Pant’s body language did not reflect the seriousness of the situation.
Cricket pundits expected India to fight hard with the bat in the second innings, but their bigger concern was Pant’s body language and the team’s energy which looked flat, almost lifeless at a time when they needed urgency and aggression against South Africa.
Ravichandran Ashwin posted,
I really hope we can bounce back with the bat in the second innings, but the signals on the field in terms of body language . #indvsa pic.twitter.com/Iui9dSsQTD
– Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) 25 November 2025
Pant has talent, fighting spirit and natural fearlessness, but Test captaincy requires game awareness, adaptability, patience, fortitude, the ability to handle pressure and the ability to calm a sinking team. And these are the qualities that India are missing under Pant’s leadership in the ongoing final Test in Guwahati.
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South Africa dashes India’s hopes with lead of over 500 runs in Guwahati
Meanwhile, South Africa tightened their grip on the Guwahati Test with another impressive session, leaving India tired, outmatched and completely unable to respond. Only one wicket fell in the entire leg, as the touring team easily scored 113 runs, taking their already huge lead to a staggering 508 runs in the ongoing final Test.
The pressure on India increased with every over. As South Africa’s batsmen continued to score runs freely, their body language deteriorated rapidly. Tristan Stubbs and Tony De Zorzi were dominant, attacking every loose ball and confidently sweeping and reverse-sweeping to disrupt India’s plans.
Both batsmen played with freedom and showed no hesitation despite already having a huge lead behind them. The only moment of relief for India came when Ravindra Jadeja finally trapped De Zorzi LBW on 49. Kuldeep Yadav kept working hard from the other end, but he did not get success.
