‘We want Pant to be himself’: Gautam Gambhir breaks silence on Test vice-captaincy snub

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has backed Rishabh Pant to continue playing his natural brand of cricket despite being stripped of the Test vice-captaincy, insisting the wicketkeeper-batter’s challenge lies in reading match situations better rather than changing his approach.

Pant’s removal from the vice-captaincy role ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan sparked considerable discussion, with KL Rahul taking over as Rohit Sharma’s deputy. The decision followed a difficult period for Pant, who endured a disappointing Test series in South Africa and struggled for consistency during IPL 2026.

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Addressing the leadership change for the first time, Gambhir stressed that the team management remains fully supportive of Pant’s aggressive mindset and does not want him to alter the style that has made him one of India’s most impactful Test batters.

“As far as Rishabh is concerned, we will expect him to be the way he is. It’s not like we will tell him to work on his game. But in international cricket, it’s very important to read the situation,” Gambhir told reporters on the eve of the Afghanistan Test.

“At that time, what kind of situation was there, and what kind of situation demands a certain shot. But, it’s not like any player is told to play a completely different game than his natural game,” he added.

The India coach said players across formats must ultimately focus on contributing to the team’s success.

“Whether it’s test cricket, one-day cricket, or T20 cricket. The ultimate aim is to make a run and take a wicket. You can never get away from that. No matter how you make it, it’s up to you. But it’s very important to read the situation and the game,” he said.

Gambhir also played down the significance of leadership roles, insisting that captaincy and vice-captaincy are secondary to performing for the country.

“See, responsibility is only for playing for India. Everything else is a by-product. Captaincy, vice-captaincy, all these are by-products. When you start playing for India, you don’t think about vice-captaincy or captaincy from day one. You think about doing good for India. So, going from one to the other is only a by-product,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pant, 28, is preparing to play his 50th Test match against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh starting on Saturday. In 49 Tests, Pant has amassed 3476 runs at an average of 42.91 and strike-rate of 74.24, including hitting eight centuries and 18 fifties.

(With agency inputs)