Hemang Badani backs Rishabh Pant to play natural game, doesn’t want wicket-keeper to think too much about leadership

Former Indian batter Hemang Badani backed Rishabh Pant to play his natural game in the five-match Test series against England. Pant has been appointed as team’s vice-captain but the Delhi Capitals head coach doesn’t want the wicket-keeper bat to think too much about leadership onus.

Badani wants head coach Gautam Gambhir to have a word with Pant regarding the leadership role and his batting. The gloveman has an impressive record while playing outside Asia, but he could deliver as per the expectations in the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia.

Meanwhile, Pant has led India in four T20Is, and he has been leading multiple franchises in the IPL since 2021. Pant recently led Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025 but could not lead from the front.

“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,” Badani said in an interview with the Hindustan Times.

“It’s important that someone like Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, has a chat with him and speaks to him and says, ‘Rishabh tu apna game khel.’ (Rishabh, just play your game). Don’t think too hard about captaincy, vice captaincy, you’re the second in command, none of that,” the Delhi Capitals coach added.

On the other hand, Badani wants Pant to think like himself and deliver for the national team on the crucial tour.

“He needs to think like Rishabh Pant and nothing else. The management will have a massive say in this as to how free he is as a batter. And they should give him the freedom to go and bat with utmost positivity and not hold him back. Because the only challenge is that when you see a batter isn’t having the right balance, but he does have the right balance,” Badani said.

The opening Test match between India and England will be played at Leeds, Headingley, from June 20 onwards.