As the midday sun beat down on a scorching Thursday at the New Chandigarh stadium, the focus of the Indian cricket team’s practice session converged on a familiar, explosive figure. Just days ago, Rishabh Pant looked like a man carrying the weight of a fracturing world. He was visibly rattled towards the tail end of a bruising IPL 2026 campaign, an emotional spillover that culminated in an expletive-laden post-match vent. The outburst, tellingly, came mere hours after the national selectors announced the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, revealing that Pant had been stripped of the vice-captaincy.
Yet, if the outside world expected a sulking superstar in transition, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate quickly dismantled that narrative. Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s intense training block, the former Netherlands captain provided the definitive angle on where the dynamic southpaw stands: Pant doesn’t need an official designation to lead.
“I don’t think you need a formal title to be a leader. With the new set-up like this, I think Rishabh understands that and he’s committed to being a good role model and senior player,” Doeschate said.
“He’s been in great spirits. He’s always one of those guys who’s happy and cheerful and drives the spirit in the team. We’ve got no complaints from him. You wouldn’t notice that his role in the team has changed. No concerns about Rishabh.”
