Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant focuses on defence as Gambhir stresses situational awareness

Rishabh Pant displayed a more restrained and disciplined approach during India's training session ahead of his 50th Test appearance. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said the wicketkeeper-batter remains a key leader while working on adapting his game to match situations

Mullanpur: The lofted strokes still carry the same thrill, but two days before his landmark 50th Test appearance, Rishabh Pant was seen embracing a different approach.

During India’s training session ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter appeared more measured, both in body language and intent, seemingly heeding the advice of head coach Gautam Gambhir.

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It is no secret within Indian cricket circles that Gambhir was deeply frustrated by Pant’s reckless shot selection during India’s previous red-ball outing against South Africa in Guwahati.

Pant’s dismissal in both innings became a major talking point, drawing criticism at a time when the team expected greater responsibility from one of its senior players.

And when Pant was seen negotiating spinners during the nets, the intent was on rock solid defence with Gambhir’s hawk-eye prying on him from behind the nets.

The head down copybook front-foot defence and backfoot defence were on display time and again. Those glorious hits would occasionally come out of closet.

Watching Pant, one could gauge that Gambhir must have had some plainspeak with the burly man from Rourkee.

“I think he’s committed to playing a good role model and senior player. I actually heard him and Gauti (Gambhir’s nickname) having a chat around that yesterday. ‘How you want to conduct yourself as a senior player’, expanding to the communications or so, how you’re going to play,” assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate said when asked how Pant was adjusting to the recent changes, including his removal from vice-captaincy.

“I don’t think he needs a formal title to be a leader in an elite setup like this, and I think Rishabh understands that,” Ten Doeschate said.

Pant’s game, at times treads the fine line between heroism and harakiri, something that gets him love and hate in equal measure.

Ten Doeschate doesn’t want him to curb his brilliance but the team management does want him to tone down his impetuosity based on match situations.

“With Rishabh’s brilliance, we don’t want to take away all the stuff that he does but occasionally if he can adjust his game to play the (match) situations slightly more, I think that’s something you’ll see him work on.”

A happy Rishabh Pant off the field is a destructive Rishabh Pant on it.

Gambhir knows that and so does Ten Doeschate.

So he would reiterate that Pant is in a happy space and even the change in vice-captaincy wouldn’t undermine his place as one of the senior most players in the team — only second to KL Rahul in this squad.

“He’s been in great spirits again. He’s always one of those guys who’s happy and cheerful and sort of drives the spirit in the team and we’ve got no complaints from him. You wouldn’t notice that his role in the leadership structure has changed, so no concerns about Rishabh, and I can’t wait to see him play again,” Ten Doeschate said.