India are set to head into the second and final Test against South Africa in Guwahati with a new leader at the helm, as wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant prepares to captain the side for the first time in his career. With regular skipper Shubman Gill having been ruled out due to a neck injury, Pant has been handed the responsibility of leading India through a must-win encounter against South Africa. Pant, who has played 48 Tests, will become India’s 38th Test captain.

“I want to thank BCCI for giving me this opportunity. I'm really happy. But at the same time I am not overthinking about it. We all know how we play cricket and how we want to conduct ourselves on the field. It's been a tough Test match, the last one, and coming out of it, we just want to do whatever is required to win this Test match and focus on that," Pant said at the press conference.

Speaking on the captaincy, Pant was clear that he wants to give the freedom to the players.

“I want to be someone who gives that freedom. I want people and players to learn around and make the right decision for the team eventually. That's the real goal."

Pant also gave an update on Shubman Gill, saying he is doing fine.

“I think he is doing fine; he is getting better. Actually, he was very keen on playing this Test match even though his body didn't allow it."

"From a captain's point of view, you see that the person who is leading your team has that resilience even if his body is not supporting, but the thought that you want to push it for the team and you want to play for the team is the kind of mindset that we want to inculcate in the team and he did it from the front."

India trail 0–1 in the two-match series after a disappointing defeat in Kolkata, making the Guwahati Test a must-win encounter if they are to level the series and avoid a series sweep at home.

“We feel at this top level, playing international cricket, you are going to be put under pressure like this that you might be 0-1 down in the series. But at the same time, as a team, we don't want to dwell too much on the result every time we play cricket. We need to have a clear mindset regardless of that; if we are 1-0 up or they are 1-0 up, we still have to give our 200% when we take the field because you don't need to take undue pressure, which is not required to play cricket. You just go out there and try to do your best. Eventually the team which is going to play better cricket will win," Pant said.