NEW DELHI: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant to be fine in handling the captaincy role for India in the upcoming second Test against South Africa, saying his vast experience will serve him well to lead the hosts in the absence of Shubman Gill.
Pant will become India’s 38th Test captain when the Guwahati Test begins at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Saturday, after regular skipper Gill was ruled out due to a neck injury sustained in the first game at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. A series-levelling win in Guwahati will also help India to climb to third place in the World Test Championship standings.
“It's never easy to come in and fill in for someone as a stopgap captain, especially when you've just lost a Test match a few days before. Rishabh is a reasonably experienced Test match player now though as well.”