With Shubman Gill ruled out, Rishabh Pant is set to take up the captaincy responsibility of India's Test team for the second match of the series against South Africa. Down 0-1 against Temba Bavuma's men, Pant has a tough task ahead of him, even as he makes his Test captaincy debut on the same ground where he made his one-day debut. Answering reporters on the eve of the match, Pant had to face some tricky questions on Friday. The wicket-keeper batter was also asked about the overflow of all-rounders in the team, and if that is good for the game in the longest format.
Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India have seen all-rounders being preferred over specialists in every format. In the first match, India played three spin-bowling all-rounders. When asked if specialists should be preferred over all-rounders in the Test format, he gave an honest reply.
"Ab to itne saare all-rounders hain, kya aapko lagta hai ki Test cricket specialists ka game hai?," the reporter asked.
"I feel it's a balance sometimes for the team combination. You have to see if a specialised player is helping you more, or an all-rounder is giving you more stability in the team. So it's all about finding that team balance and the way you want to play cricket," he said in reply.
When asked about his captaincy philosophy, Pant said he believes in giving players freedom to express themselves. "I want to be someone who gives that freedom, and I want people and players to learn around and make the right decision for the team eventually. That's the real goal. And obviously, whatever knowledge I have, I'm going to help them on the field, regardless of anything," he said, answering another question on his leadership style.
Pant also explained how special the Guwahati stadium is for him, having made his ODI debut for India at the same venue. In comparison to the Eden Gardens, where the match concluded in just three days, Pant said the second Test pitch is likely to be better for batting.
"Firstly, I would say that this ground is very special in my heart. I made my one-day debut here. I'm playing my first test captaincy match here. So, it will always be special for me. And I feel it's special for the whole of Guwahati.
"Because it's my first test match here. So, everyone has a special feeling about coming here. And regarding the pitch, I think this wicket will play better. Definitely, it's a better wicket to bat on. Obviously, it will eventually turn after a few days. But it is going to be a good contest," he said.