Rishabh Pant apologises to fans after India’s 0-2 Test series defeat to South Africa

India’s stand-in Test captain Rishabh Pant issued a heartfelt apology to fans after the team suffered a rare 0-2 whitewash at home against South Africa. Pant, who led the side in the second Test in the absence of Shubman Gill, took responsibility for the disappointing performance and acknowledged the pain felt by supporters.

In an emotional Instagram post, Pant admitted that the team “didn’t play good enough cricket over the last two weeks” and said the players understood the expectations placed on them. “Sorry, we couldn't live up to expectations this time,” he wrote, adding th at the squad would learn from the setback and return stronger. He called representing India the “greatest honour” and thanked fans for their unwavering support.

South Africa, the reigning World Test Championship winners, dominated both matches and completed the series with a crushing 408-run win in Guwahati, India’s biggest defeat by runs in Test cricket in 25 years. Pant himself endured a difficult series, scoring only 49 runs in four innings.

With Shubman Gill unavailable due to neck spasms, Pant stepped in as captain for the second Test, but the young Indian side struggled to match South Africa’s intensity and experience. The defeat marks one of India’s to ughest home campaigns in recent years.

Pant concluded his message by promising a determined comeback as the team regroups and resets for future challenges.