Injured Gill out of second test, Pant to lead India against Rabada-less South Africa

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS FROM INDIA'S STAND-IN CAPTAIN RISHABH PANT AHEAD OF SECOND TEST AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: GUWAHATI, ASSAM, INDIA (NOVEMBER 21, 2025) (BCCI – Must on screen courtesy BCCI. No use social media. No monetisation.) 1. TEAM INDIA’S RISHABH PANT SEATED FOR PRESS CONFERENCE 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIA’S STAND-IN CAPTAIN, RISHABH PANT, ON SHUBMAN GILL, SAYING:     “He's doing fine, he's getting better. He actually was very keen on playing this test match, even though his body didn't allow it. But from a captain's point of view, you see that a person who is leading your team, he has that resilience to, whenever his body is also not supporting, that thought that I want to push it for the team and I want to play for the team. That's the kind of mindset we want to inculcate in the team, and he did it from the front.” 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIA’S STAND-IN CAPTAIN, RISHABH PANT, WHEN ASKED ABOUT BEING NAMED CAPTAIN WITH THE HOSTS TRAILING SERIES 1-0, SAYING:     “Definitely, one of the matches is not the best scenario as a captain, but at the same time, I'm really proud that BCC has given me this opportunity. Whenever you are leading your country, it is the proudest moment, especially in test cricket. So, at the same time, I don't want to think about it too much, that I don't want to take that undue pressure of captaincy in my mind. I just want to keep things very simple – how I see the game, how we want to play as a team – that's the kind of conversation we are having in the group, and we just want to keep it simple, too. You know, sometimes, yes, big occasions are there, but at the same time, if you think about that too much, you're putting undue pressure, which we don't want as a team – we want to focus on the controllables, and we're going to play better cricket.” 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIA’S STAND-IN CAPTAIN, RISHABH PANT, WHEN ASKED IF RIGHT-HANDED BATTER NITISH KUMAR REDDY WILL BE PICKED AHEAD LEFT-HANDED SAI SUDHARSHAN AS GILL’S REPLACEMENT, SAYING:     “See, we have taken that into consideration because having a lot of left-handers in that batting lineup, but… We're going to announce it tomorrow. Mostly we have taken it because the person who's going to play, he already knows he's going play.” 8. WHITE FLASH 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIA’S STAND-IN CAPTAIN, RISHABH PANT, ON GUWAHATI PITCH, SAYING:     “Regarding the pitch. I think this wicket will play better, definitely it is a better wicket to bat on. Obviously, it will eventually turn after a few days, but it is going to be a good contest.” 10. WHITE FLASH 11. RISHABH PANT LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE STORY: India captain Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the second and final test against South Africa with a neck injury and Rishabh Pant will lead in his absence, the team said on Friday (November 21). Gill retired hurt in the first innings of the opening test in Kolkata and did not bat in the second as South Africa beat India inside three days at Eden Gardens. The top-order batter travelled to Guwahati after being discharged from hospital in Kolkata, but was not deemed fit for what will be the first-ever test match at Barsapara Stadium. India's batting line-up included six left-handers in Kolkata where South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer claimed a match haul of eight wickets. It may prompt the hosts to pick right-handed batter Nitish Kumar Reddy ahead of Sai Sudharsan as Gill's replacement, but stand-in skipper Pant declined to reveal the playing eleven. Pant said he was happy to lead the side, but did not want it to distract him from trying to help India level the series. "I'm really proud that BCCI has given me this opportunity," he said. "Whenever you are leading your country is the proudest moment, especially in test cricket." Meanwhile, South Africa will be without Kagiso Rabada for the Guwahati Test after the fast bowler failed to recover from a rib injury. Rabada missed South Africa’s 30-run victory in the first test at Eden Gardens after sustaining a rib bone stress injury in training ahead of the game and will not be ready for the start of the second test on Saturday. South Africa had called up seamer Lungi Ngidi earlier this week in anticipation of Rabada’s absence and he will be in contention to play. (Production: Bhagya Ayyavoo)

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