As Rishabh Pant prepares for the upcoming Test series against England, former India batter Hemang Badani has urged the team's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, to advise Pant to focus on his natural game and not be burdened by the responsibilities of vice-captaincy. Pant, who has been named Shubman Gill's deputy for the five-match series, is returning to the Test arena after a hiatus and is expected to play a crucial role in the new era of the Indian team.

Badani believes that Gambhir should have a straightforward message for Pant: "Rishabh, tu apna game khel, forget that you are the vice-captain of Team India." He emphasized that Pant's success in Test cricket has come from his positive and attacking mindset, and it's crucial that he continues to play with the same freedom and fearlessness.

"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.' Don't think too hard about captaincy, vice captaincy, you're the second in command, none of that," Badani stated. He further added that Pant has found the right balance between attacking and defensive play, and there's no reason to change his approach.

Pant's role in the team is even more critical, considering the recent retirements of experienced players like R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. Their departure has created a leadership void, and Pant, despite his relatively young age, is now one of the senior members of the team.

Badani also highlighted Pant's impressive record in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries, where he has scored 1681 runs at an average of 37.81, including centuries in England and Australia. He recalled Pant's memorable knock of 146 off 111 balls in the last Test India played in England, where he single-handedly counter-attacked after the team was struggling.

There is a consensus that Pant is likely to bat at No. 5 in the Test series. Badani believes this position allows him to put pressure on the opposition bowlers and change the momentum of the game. He cautioned against trying to restrain Pant's natural instincts, saying, "You want to keep the bowling on the mat, you want to keep them under pressure rather than keep leaving balls and let them settle down into a good line and length."

Pant himself has acknowledged the importance of being in the right frame of mind for the England tour. After a disappointing IPL season, where he managed only one half-century until the final match, he expressed his desire to "switch off" from cricket for a few days before focusing on the Test series.

The upcoming Test series against England marks India's first assignment in the 2025-2027 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The first Test is scheduled to begin on June 20 in Leeds.