India coach breaks silence on Pant losing Test vice-captaincy, wants him to adjust game as per situation

While there has been criticism of Rishabh Pant's shot selection in Tests, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate expects him to adjust his game as per situation.

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Rishabh Pant

India's Rishabh Pant gestures during Day 4 of the second Test cricket against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on November 25, 2025.

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Ryan ten Doeschate said Rishabh Pant had no complaints over losing Test vice-captaincy.

Ten Doeschate feels Pant doesn't need a formal title to be a leader in Test team.

India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant lost his vice-captaincy as the squad for Afghanistan one-off Test was announced. A couple of days ahead of the Test, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has said that the 28-year-old had not issues about losing the leadership role. Also, the management wants the southpaw to adjust his game as the situation demands.

"You don’t need a formal title to becoming a leader. We need him to adjust his game to play according to the situation," Doeschate told the reporters in New Chandigarh.

 

 

ALSO READ: India coach ends suspense over Siraj's participation in one-off Afghanistan Test, one of 2 spinners set for debut

"No complaints from Rishabh on being removed as vice-captain," he added.

 

 

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli batted despite hamstring tendon tear in IPL 2026 final; ruled out of Afghanistan series, question mark over England tour

Pant loses Test vice-captaincy to Rahul, leaves LSG leadership

Notably, Pant had led India in injured Shubman Gill's absence in the second Test of the series against South Africa at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. India ended up losing the Test by a record margin of 408 runs as the Temba Bavuma-led side completed cleansweep. Recently, the 28-year-old also let go of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captaincy after they finished at the bottom of the points table.

Pant’s numbers not poor barring South Africa series

Towards the end of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Pant made a few contributions including a half-century in Sydney. In the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, he scored twin hundreds in the Leeds Test. In Manchester Test, he braved a foot injury to play. The injury ruled him out of the fifth and final Test followed by the two-Test series against West Indies at home. He returned for two-Test series against South Africa and managed just 49 runs from four innings.

Despite low scores towards the end, he managed 629 runs from 13 innings in 2025. He averaged 48.38 last year. Apart from two centuries, he crossed the fifty-run mark four times.

Update on Siraj, one debut confirmed

Meanwhile, the coach has confirmed that pacer Mohammed Siraj is fit and ready to go. While the former Netherlands cricketer did not reveal the team combination, he confirmed that either Manav Suthar or Harsh Dubey will make their Test debut.

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