It is confirmed that INDIA’S regular captain Shubman Gill will not play in the India vs South Africa second Test match at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Thus, Rishabh Pant will stand as the stand-in captain in the Test. With the opportunity, Pant will create a record after the former Captain MS Dhoni.
When the Indian team takes the field for the second Test against South Africa, everyone will be under pressure. From the captain to the coach and the players, everyone will be under pressure. This is because if the team loses, South Africa will be able to clean sweep the series. This match will be played at the Barasara Stadium in Guwahati. This ground has not hosted any Test matches yet. Regular captain Shubman Gill is unlikely to play in this match. In such a situation, Rishabh Pant could take on the captaincy duties.
Rishabh Pant in front of historic record
The Indian team has been playing Test cricket for 93 years. So far, 37 players have held the captaincy. Of these, only one captain was also a wicketkeeper. That wicketkeeper is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Between 2008 and 2014, Dhoni led Team India in 60 matches, resulting in 27 wins and 18 losses. Now, when Rishabh Pant captains in Guwahati, he will be only the second Indian wicketkeeper to hold this responsibility in Tests.
Rishabh Pant is currently the world’s most successful wicketkeeper-batsman in Tests. He has 3,456 runs in 48 matches at an average of around 44, including eight centuries. Among wicketkeeper-batsmen, only Adam Gilchrist and Andy Flower have more centuries than him. Pant, with 3,515 runs, is the most among current wicketkeepers.
Rishabh Pant hasn’t been particularly impressive as a captain. He has led India A in 57 IPL matches, leading his team to 29 wins and 27 losses. He recently captained India A in two matches against South Africa A, a 1-1 series draw. In the fourth innings of the second match, South Africa A chased down a target of over 400 to win the match.
