Rishabh Pant presented another instance of why fans find him an incredibly captivating personality in contemporary cricket. In the course of the initial non-official Test match between India A and South Africa A, hosted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence situated in Bengaluru, Pant’s animated presence positioned behind the wickets garnered considerable notice. As captain of the youthful India A team, the wicketkeeper-batter was visibly in his element, with the stump microphone capturing his amusing yet encouraging remarks aimed towards his bowling team members.
Rishabh Pant’s stump mic moments brighten India A against South Africa A duel
Widely recognized for his contagious on-the-field character, Pant could be heard continuously interacting with his spin bowlers, Tanush Kotian and Manav Suthar. His comments blended strategic guidance with a dash of comedy, a communication approach that has characterized his style since his initial involvement with the Indian national cricket team.
‘There aren’t many fielders on the off-side, keep delivering, it’s alright,’ he was recorded saying, motivating Kotian to persistently target the wickets. Pant further encouraged him to maintain focus on his rhythm, emphasizing that taking wickets would follow as long as he remained patient. The constant banter from Pant maintained a high energy level within the dressing room, showcasing his inherent leadership qualities and capacity to reduce pressure exerted on young bowlers.
During a further entertaining exchange, Pant played the role of a cheerleader for left-arm spinner Suthar, challenging him with a spirited line that has since gained viral status – ‘Show us six balls, it will be fun.’ The line, spoken in his characteristically self-assured manner, elicited laughter from both his teammates and supporters tuning into the broadcast. The instance articulated Pant’s genuine fervor and his philosophy of leading by enhancing morale in lieu of resorting to critique.
Here’s the visual:
Rishabh Pant is back – and so are the stump mic moments! 🎯#INDAvSAA, 1st Unofficial Test, LIVE NOW 👉 pic.twitter.com/8fPyEcNayq
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 30, 2025
Tanush Kotian’s impressive four-wicket performance limits South Africa A to 299/9 at the end of the first day
India A orchestrated a significant recovery on the opening day of the inaugural unofficial Test match opposing South Africa A in Bengaluru. Having succeeded in the coin toss and opting to field, the bowlers representing India A sustained a constricted approach throughout the day’s proceedings, with Tanush Kotian spearheading the effort by securing an exceptional tally of 4 wickets. Kotian’s contribution proved instrumental in disrupting partnerships and regulating South Africa A, culminating in their day-end score of 299/9 sustained across 85.2 overs.
The leading scorer for South Africa A was Jordan Hermann, accumulating 71 runs from 141 deliveries. Nevertheless, the spotlight of the day gravitated towards Kotian, who instigated significant disruption with his bowling performance, underpinned by contributions from Manav Suthar (securing 2 wickets) and Anshul Kamboj (acquiring 1 wicket). Tshepo Moreki (4*) remains on the field, with South Africa A aspiring to append additional runs to their aggregate on the subsequent day. Disregarding the occurrence of early dismissals, Zubayr Hamza and Rubin Hermann delivered resilient innings, guaranteeing that their contingent achieved a formidable score by the session’s conclusion.
