Not Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill!! Ravichandran Ashwin names the biggest villain for India's loss vs South Africa

India’s stand-in captain Rishabh Pant is on the firing line because of his batting form as well as his leadership in the ongoing second and final Test against South Africa in Guwahati.

With Shubman Gill ruled out due to a neck injury, Rishabh Pant had stepped in, hoping to bring energy and confidence. Instead, the situation has turned into a nightmare for the hosts. In the first innings, India had already slipped badly, and Pant walked in after a quick collapse.

Rishabh Pant's batting failure and confused captaincy hurt India in Guwahati

Instead of steadying the innings, the left-handed batter went for a risky big hit against Marco Jansen and ended up losing his wicket at a moment when India desperately needed calm batting. Many felt the shot was unnecessary, especially from the captain in a pressure situation.

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But it was not just his batting, but also his captaincy, that left many frustrated. On Day 4, Indian fans and former cricketers were surprised to see Pant’s on-field decisions and overall body language.

Field placements looked confused, the energy of the Indian cricket team seemed off, and their response lacked urgency. Even the former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his disappointment over Pant’s body language on Day 4.

Ravichandran Ashwin shocked by Rishabh Pant's dull energy as India hit a new low in Guwahati Test

Ravichandran Ashwin has openly admitted that what he saw on the field left him heartbroken. The former Indian off-spinner pointed out that the team looked low on intent and that Pant’s body language didn’t reflect the seriousness of the situation.

The cricket pandit has expressed his hope that India would put up a strong fight with the bat in the second innings, but his bigger concern was Pant’s body language and the team’s energy that looked flat, almost lifeless, at a time when they needed urgency and fire against South Africa.

Ravichandran Ashwin posted, X: “I really hope we can bounce back while batting in the 2nd innings, but the indications on the field with respect to body language 💔. #indvsa”

I really hope we can bounce back while batting in the 2nd innings, but the indications on the field with respect to body language 💔. #indvsa pic.twitter.com/Iui9dSsQTD

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) November 25, 2025

Pant has the talent, the fighting spirit, and a natural fearlessness, but Test captaincy demands game awareness, adaptability, patience, grit, the ability to absorb pressure, and the ability to calm a sinking team. And these are the qualities India has been missing under Pant in the ongoing final test in Guwahati.

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South Africa smash India’s hopes with over 500-run lead in Guwahati

Meanwhile, South Africa tightened their grip on the Guwahati Test with another commanding session that left India looking exhausted, outplayed, and completely out of answers. Only one wicket fell in the entire phase, as the touring side hammered 113 runs with ease, pushing their already massive lead to a staggering 508 in the ongoing final Test.

The pressure on India kept rising with every over. Their body language dipped sharply as South Africa’s batters continued to score freely. Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi were dominating, attacking every loose ball and confidently sweeping and reverse-sweeping to disrupt India’s plans.

Both batters played with freedom, showing no hesitation despite the huge lead already behind them. India’s only moment of relief came when Ravindra Jadeja finally trapped de Zorzi leg-before-wicket on 49. Kuldeep Yadav kept working hard from the other end, but they didn’t get the breakthroughs.