Pant hopes India can make country ‘happy again’ after plane crash

LONDON: Rishabh Pant hopes his side’s Test series in England can start to “make India happy again” after one of the world’s worst plane crashes left the country in mourning.

A total of 279 people were killed when an Air India flight heading to London’s Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad last Thursday. There was only one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew, with at least 38 people on the ground dying as well when the plane slammed into a residential area of the western city.

The Indian team wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence during an intra-squad warm-up match in Beckenham. And India vice-captain Pant hopes they can do something to raise national morale when the first Test of a five-match series starts at Headingley on Friday.

“What happened with the aircraft, the whole of India was saddened by it,” Pant told a pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “The only thing for us is how can we make India happy again? The emotion is going to be high always because of what happened in the crash, but at the same time we are going to put our best foot forward for the country.

“How we can make them happy is an added responsibility.” India have arrived in England without two star names in Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after both batsmen retired from Test cricket last month.

Shubman Gill has succeeded Rohit as captain, with Pant saying Wednesday the new skipper would replace Kohli at number four in the batting order. “Obviously, it’s a new start for us,” said Pant. “Big people have left, definitely.

“Yes, there will be a gap, but at the same time it’s an opportunity for us to build a new culture from here or take a culture forward from there.” The 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman added: “I think the idea is very simple: look to play positive, brave cricket, but at the same time, know you’ve got to respect the conditions.”