Guwahati: It’s the chirpy restlessness of
Rishabh Pant that has made him an absolute darling of the fans over the last few years. While he is a wonderful helping hand for a captain in charge of proceedings, his quick-thinking methods as skipper have had a 50-50 impact in the IPL.
But come Test cricket, it’s a different kettle of fish. In Kolkata, when Pant took over the captaincy from an injured
Shubman Gill, he made a crucial error of judgement on the morning of Day 3 — possibly in his desperation to be out of the box. He held back
Jasprit Bumrah and started with Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, which allowed South Africa to get 50 runs that proved crucial in the end.
For the second Test, Pant is now India’s 38th Test captain, and on the eve of the game, the maverick left-hander exuded a calmness we are not used to. It seemed there was a conscious effort to control his mind as questions kept flying in — even on his decision not to bowl Bumrah at Eden Gardens.
“That’s the challenge of being a captain. You know every day that you’re going to be questioned. But eventually you’re going to do what you believe is right and trust that the person who has the ball will do the job for the team,” Pant said, trying to explain the Kolkata decision.
While that is the decision-making part of the story, even when Pant batted in the second innings in Kolkata, one felt he wasn’t his cavalier self. Was it the pressure of leading the side? And more importantly, will Pant the captain compromise Pant the player?
“I don’t think about that. I just want to give my 100 percent at whatever I’m doing and enjoy the game whenever I want to,” Pant said.
The Delhi boy isn’t just one of India’s top batters; he has the added responsibility of keeping as well. It was a job that his hero MS Dhoni did with ease at the international level for over a decade, but the constant interrogation does take its toll. Pant feels “it’s about finding a balance”. “I want to be someone who gives that freedom, and I want people to learn and make the right decisions for the team eventually. And when it comes to decision making, my aim is to be a combination of the conventional and out-of-the-box.”
Red-ball captaincy has its own set of challenges, and Pant, despite his white-ball captaincy experience, is still learning the ropes in the longer version. When asked to analyse the two experiences, the new skipper said: “Red-ball cricket goes on for a longer period of time, and that’s why it gives you a better chance to come back. But at the same time, you have to keep your emotions in check and not let the game drift away from you for too long. You try to be as close to the game as possible during a pressure situation.”
By the looks of it, Pant will have several chances to deal with “pressure situations” at a venue he considers special. “I made my ODI debut here, and I hope my first Test as captain goes well too.”
We will know over the next few days if the new captain’s wish is granted and whether India end their Test-match assignments for the year on a winning note.
Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here