The Indian cricket team led by Shubman Gill is getting ready to begin their five-match Test series against England at Leeds and amidst this, vice-captain Rishabh Pant has opened up about the significance of playing without facing the legendary pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
The two English fast bowlers, who collectively took 1308 wickets in Test cricket including 223 dismissals of Indian batters, were a formidable presence in seam-friendly English conditions. Their retirement from international cricket brings a sense of relief to the young Indian wicketkeeper-batter who has had to face them in his previous two tours of England.
Reflecting on the absence of the two veterans, Rishabh Pant shared how good it feels not to have to face them anymore, given their long and impactful contributions to England’s bowling arsenal over the years. But despite their exit, Rishabh Pant remains aware of the talent and depth that still exists in England’s pace attack. He acknowledged that while England may have lost two stalwarts, they still possess enough skill and potential to challenge India, especially with both the sides fielding relatively young teams.
India’s record in England has historically been poor. Out of 19 bilateral Test series played in the country, India has emerged victorious only three times, the last of which was in 2007. However, Rishabh Pant emphasised that the current Indian squad has arrived with a positive mindset and a collective goal of winning the series. He said that the approach will be to play assertively while respecting the conditions and opponents. The discussions within the group revolve around how each player can contribute toward winning matches and not on individual accolades.
Rishabh Pant stressed that the team’s mentality is rooted in unity and shared success. He explained that it’s not about any single player shining but about the entire squad pulling together to achieve victory. For him, if the team wins, everyone wins, and that’s the spirit they aim to carry forward through this new ICC World Test Championship cycle, starting with the crucial series in England.
All the best team India!
