Badani, the former India batter, hopes to see the fearless, attacking Rishabh Pant in action next week—not a vice captain weighed down by caution and responsibility.
Let Rishabh Pant Be Rishabh Pant: Badani’s Advice Ahead of England Tests
“Rishabh, tu apna game khel, forget that you are the vice captain of Team India”—that’s the only advice India head coach Gautam Gambhir needs to give Rishabh Pant ahead of the five-match Test series against England starting June 20, says former India batter Hemang Badani.
Rishabh Pant, entering a new role in the leadership group for the first time, is tasked with leading the charge in India’s fresh Test era under new captain Shubman Gill. The recent retirements of R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli have stripped the team of nearly 300 Tests of experience. Bridging that void is no small ask, but fans can take comfort in the presence of someone like Pant.
Despite a lukewarm Test tour of Australia and a disappointing IPL 2025 with LSG—the franchise that made him the league’s most expensive player—Pant remains one of India’s top Test assets. With 1681 runs in SENA countries at an average of 37.81, including centuries everywhere except New Zealand, Pant has already etched some iconic overseas performances in just five years of Test cricket.
Leading up to this series, Pant has been at his explosive best in practice—hitting sixes that damaged the roof at Lord’s and startled locals near the Beckenham ground. Badani, who also coached Pant at Delhi Capitals, insists that this is the Rishabh India needs—fearless, free, and unburdened.
“I genuinely hope it doesn’t change one bit. I think he is somebody who has found the right balance of attacking stroke-making and defensive stroke-making in this cricket. So I don’t see any reason why you should try and change that,” Badani told Hindustan Times.
‘Gambhir should tell Pant not to think he is the vice captain’: Badani
Former India batter Hemang Badani believes that Rishabh Pant must be allowed to play his natural, fearless brand of cricket as India begins a new Test chapter under Shubman Gill. Ahead of the five-match Test series against England starting June 20, Badani strongly recommends that head coach Gautam Gambhir and the Indian team management speak with Pant and reassure him that his aggressive style is exactly what the team needs.
“He didn’t become vice captain by playing safe,” Badani emphasized. “He earned it by succeeding in red-ball cricket with a positive mindset over the last six or seven years. It’s important that someone like Gautam Gambhir has a chat with him and says, ‘Rishabh, tu apna game khel.’ Don’t overthink leadership responsibilities.”
Pant is expected to bat at No.5 in the absence of veterans like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Badani sees that position as a perfect opportunity for Pant to keep pressure on the opposition, especially when the second new ball is in play. “You want to keep the bowlers under the pump—not let them settle into a rhythm. Leaving too many balls lets them control the game,” he said.
Badani added that it’s vital the team management grants Pant the same freedom that brought him success in the past. “The only danger is if he’s forced to play against his instinct. But if Pant sticks to his natural game, he can continue to be a game-changer. He has already struck the right balance between aggression and control. Let him be Rishabh Pant—and nothing else.”
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