Former India batter Hemang Badani believes that ahead of the five-match Test series against England, which starts on June 20, India head coach Gautam Gambhir should only offer the wicketkeeper-batter the following advice: "Rishabh, tu apna game khel, forget that you are the vice captain of Team India."

Pant, who is officially a member of the leadership team for the first time, will be responsible for leading the charge in the new era of India's Test team under captain Shubman Gill. India lost the experience of almost 300 Tests at once with the retirement of R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. Requesting that Rome be constructed in a day is to fill that gap in between two series. But to the relief of India supporters, they have players like Pant to rely on.

In Test cricket, you can certainly rely on Pant. Earlier this year, he did not have a pleasant experience in Australia. Despite not progressing as LSG would have liked, his IPL 2025, as the priciest player in the league's history, still makes him one of the best batting prospects for India every time they enter the field in whites.

Pant's potential as a batsman is evident in his 1,681 runs scored in SENA nations at an average of 37.81, with centuries scored everywhere except New Zealand. Few would dispute that Pant has already scored some of the best runs by an Indian player in overseas conditions during the first five years of his Test career.

In the last Test that India played in England, Pant scored 146 runs off 111 balls in the first innings after India had been reduced to 98 for five. This was his second century in Test matches in England during two visits. He scored his first runs in international cricket with a six on the second ball he faced during his first game in Nottingham seven years earlier.

Pant has shown no indications of backing down during India's practice sessions in preparation for the five-match Test series— He blistering sixes sent those who lived near the Beckenham ground ducking for cover and dented the roof of one of the stands at Lord's.

Badani, a former India batter who is now the head coach of the Delhi Capitals, wants to see this iteration of Rishabh Pant next week, rather than the excessively careful vice captain of the Indian Test team, burdened with duties and hopes.

"I truly wish it doesn't change at all. In my opinion, he is someone who has struck the perfect blend between aggressive and defensive shot-making in this sport. Badani told in a private conversation, "I don't see any reason why you should try and change that."

'Gambhir should tell Pant not to think he's the vice captain': Badani

Badani suggested that Gambhir and the Indian team management have a conversation with him prior to the Test series to clarify that he should keep playing the style that has made him successful in red-ball cricket over the previous six or seven years. His subjugation did not allow him to rise to vice captain of the Indian squad. His selection for a leadership position was due to his overwhelming success in Test cricket, which he attributes to positive thinking.

"It's important that someone like Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, has a chat with him and tells him, 'Rishabh tu apna game khel.'" Don't overthink captaincy, vice captaincy, or being second in command.

"You've played in a certain way over the years, and that's suited you well." 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," Badani added.

Pant is sure to bat at No. 5, but there might be a lot of shifts in the Indian batting order after Rohit and Kohli retire. Badani thinks he has a chance to maintain the pressure on the other team at that figure.

"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. This makes it easier for the bowler to attempt to take wickets.

"He needs to think like Rishabh Pant and nothing else." The management will play a big role in determining how unrestricted he is as a batsman. They shouldn't hold him back and should let him approach batting with complete positivity. The sole difficulty arises when you observe that a hitter is not in the proper position, yet he is, indeed, in the right one.

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