“An ODI field has been set” - Indian legend’s subtle dig at Rishabh Pant’s captaincy on Day 1 of IND vs SA 2025 2nd Test

Former India spinner Anil Kumble failed to understand the reasoning behind Rishabh Pant's defensive captaincy on Day 1 of the second Test against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The wicket-keeper is leading the red-ball side for the first time after Shubman Gill was ruled out of the must-win contest due to a neck injury.

Rishabh Pant had the massive task of marshalling his troops after South Afric aopted to bat first after winning the toss. The pacers started the contest with an intense spell with the new ball, but the opening pair of Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton stood firm.

After a brief spell by Nitish Kumar Reddy following the opening burst by the frontline pacers, Pant brought on the spinners, beginning with Washington Sundar. However, with the tweakers not getting sharp turn on a fresh red soil wicket, the skipper soon removed the close-in fielders, with multiple players stationed as far as the boundary line.

At one stage, Washington Sundar was bowling with just a slip as a close-in fielder, while the rest of the fielders were quite spread out.

The pair of Aakash Chopra and Anil Kumble were puzzled by Rishabh Pant's approach, questioning the lack of fielders close to the batters while the spinners are operating in the early stages of the contest.

"There is a fielder at mid-wicket, there is a long-on as well, there is no short leg, what is the plan here? Even guesswork will be failed here, because when have we ever seen Ryan Rickelton dance down the track and play over the top with the spin? Is this field planned for a short ball burst, and just for that have you set this? We have to revise how modern-day Test captaincy works," Chopra said on commentary (via Star Sports). "On the leg side, an ODI field has been set. It is the first session of Day 1, and even then there is a deep square leg, long on and deep midwicket," Anil Kumble said.

Team India have made two breakthroughs so far, either side of the Tea Break on Day 1. Jasprit Bumrah castled Aiden Markram in the last over of the first session, while Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Ryan Rickelton early in the second session.

Team India struggling to break stable South Africa on Day 1 of IND vs SA 2025 2nd Test

The middle order pair of Tristan Stubbs and Temba Bavuma have been relatively comfortable against spinners in the second session after Rickelton's dismissal. They have started to build a threatening partnership as India continue to probe in hopes of a breakthrough.

The right-handed duo have put together 39 runs off 75 deliveries so far, while the score reads 121-2 in the 40th over. India have come into the must-win match with two changes to their playing XI as Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy were brought in.

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Edited by Gokul Nair