Captain-for-a-moment: Rishabh Pant helps Bangladesh’s Shanto set field, commentators in splits

In a hilarious moment during the India-Bangladesh Test match, Rishabh Pant, India’s star wicketkeeper-batter, was caught on camera helping Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto set the field. Pant suggested placing a fielder in the inner circle on the leg-side, which was left vacant, saying “Arey idhar aayega ek. Idhar kam fielder hai!”

To everyone’s surprise, Shanto actually listened to Pant’s suggestion and put a fielder in the mid-wicket region.

This light-hearted exchange didn’t go unnoticed, and commentators were left in splits. Fans took to social media, poking fun at the situation, with one user joking that Pant was “captaining for Bangladesh while batting for India”. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Former Indian captain MS Dhoni had done something similar during the 2019 ODI World Cup, advising Sabbir Rahman to adjust the field.

The incident occurred on Day 3 of the Test match at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where India was batting. Pant, known for his quick wit and banter on the field, was in great form, scoring 109 runs off 128 balls in his comeback Test. His partnership with Shubman Gill helped India declare at 287/4 in the second innings, setting a 515-run target for Bangladesh.