NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant, known for his fearless approach on the field, acknowledged on Friday that taking over the captaincy for just a single Test is far from an ideal situation. However, he insisted he is not overthinking the challenge, with a confident and well-prepared South African side standing in India's way in the second Test in Guwahati.

Pant was thrust into the leadership role after regular skipper Shubman Gill was ruled out due to injury and subsequently released from the squad ahead of the match starting Saturday in Guwahati. Despite the sudden responsibility, Pant maintained a calm outlook, focusing on the task at hand rather than the circumstances that led to it.

2nd Test: With series on the line, India gear up for 'pitched battle' against South Africa

"One-off match is not best scenario for a captain but I am thankful to BCCI for giving me this honour. Sometimes, if you think too much about a big occasion, it doesn't help," Pant said at the pre-match press conference.

"(I) don't want to over-think. We had a tough first Test and we need to do whatever is required to win the Test," he added.

South Africa hold a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series after their impressive victory at Eden Gardens, a match in which Shubman Gill suffered a neck spasm while batting in the first innings and had to be taken to the hospital.

Pant revealed that the team management has already finalised Gill's replacement for the upcoming Test, though he chose not to reveal the name publicly.

"We have taken a decision on who will play in place of Shubman. The person who will play knows he is playing."

He added, "I want to be conventional and also blend with out-of-box thinking. Want to have nice balance...We have to keep things simple and the team that plays better cricket will win it."

Pant also lauded Gill for doing everything possible to be available for the crucial game.

"Shubman was keen to play the match. He showed resilience even when body was not permitting and that's the attitude you want to see.

"I am having a chat with Gill everyday. I got to know about captaincy yesterday evening," he said.

Comebacks are tough

He conceded that bouncing back in a two-match series is difficult.

"It is always good to have more matches because you can come back from it. When you have a two-match series, it's harder because the pressure is all the more if you lose the first match. But at the same time, you know, these are the things which we can't control as a team," he said.

Captaincy is never a bed of roses and Pant faced some probing questions on his tactical calls on the third day of the first Test when he had to stand in for an injured Gill.

He didn't give the ball to Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah on a deteriorating pitch where variable bounce would have made them all the more dangerous.

Temba Bavuma scored a fifty and the runs added in the morning when Pant introduced spinners became decisive.

Asked if he could have done things differently in terms of strategic calls, the burly keeper acknowledged the scrutiny that comes with the job.

"Going with a spinner was our thought process but there was always a chance when you can get a fast bowler in. But that's the challenge as a captain, you want to face each and every day that you're going to be questioned.

"But eventually you're going to do what you believe is right in that given frame of mind and trust that person who has the ball will do the job for the team."

While he didn't officially declare who is replacing Gill and if there could be one more change to maintain the balance of the squad, Pant clarified that people selected in playing eleven have been duly informed.

Asked if there could be a place for a right-hander considering the presence of off-spinner Simon Harmer in the opposition line-up, Pant replied: "We have taken that in consideration because we have a lot of left-handers in the batting line-up.

"Mostly we have taken a decision and the person who is going to play, he already knows he's going to play."

(With PTI Inputs)