‘Forget about being vice captain…’ - Former India star’s bold suggestion to Rishabh Pant for England Tests

Star India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is set to be in action for the senior men’s side in the upcoming high-octane five-match Test series against England. Besides keeping the wickets and batting in the middle-order, Pant will have an extra responsibility as the team’s vice-captain in the Test series against England.

India will play without their experienced trio of former skippers, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and former off-spin great, Ravichandran Ashwin. The three legends of the game announced their retirements within the span of the last six months. The unavailability of any other experienced players will put extra pressure on the stars like Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah to guide the team with exemplary performances.

Meanwhile, the former Indian cricketer Hemang Badani has come up with a bold and straightforward suggestion for Rishabh Pant ahead of the big Test series against England.

Hemang Badani also has a suggestion for India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, on how to help Rishabh Pant perform at his best on the field.

I think he is somebody who has found the right balance of shots – Hemang Badani

Badani suggests that Gambhir should come up with some advice that “Rishabh, tu apna game khel, forget that you are the vice-captain of Team India.”

“I genuinely hope it doesn't change one bit. I think he is somebody who has found the right balance of attacking stroke-making and defensive stroke-making in this cricket. So, I don't see any reason why you should try and change that,” said Badani to Hindustan Times in an exclusive conversation.

“There is a certain way that you've played over the years and that has worked well for you. And I think it will work well for us if he does that again, because he is a batter who comes to the bat at times when the second new ball is due,” he added later.