Rishabh Pant, the dynamic Indian wicketkeeper-batter, has recently garnered high praise from veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who believes Pant should be compared to the best batters in the world, not just Adam Gilchrist. Ashwin emphasized that Pant possesses qualities that even the legendary Australian lacked, particularly a strong defensive technique.
Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, highlighted Pant's potential and urged him to blend his natural aggression with situational awareness. He stressed the importance of Pant recognizing when to temper his attacking instincts, especially in high-pressure scenarios, to better serve the team's needs. "I would like to see Rishabh Pant achieve his potential. We want him to entertain us, but he can do that and show restraint when needed. Pant is not a newbie anymore. I want to benchmark Pant to his standards," Ashwin stated.
The comparisons between Pant and Gilchrist have been frequent, given both players' aggressive batting styles and wicketkeeping roles. However, Ashwin firmly believes that such comparisons are misplaced. He argues that Pant has a "high quality" defence, which the former Australian wicketkeeper lacked in his batting. "He is a fabulous player. He is not Adam Gilchrist, many compare him to Gilchrist. He didn't have such a good defence. Pant has a high-quality defence. He should be compared with some of the best batters, not Gilchrist. Rishabh Pant can do Pant things," he added. Gilchrist, while a fine batter, typically batted at number seven, whereas Pant often comes in at number five, indicating different roles and expectations.
Pant has been in incredible form in red-ball cricket, solidifying his position as one of India's most dependable match-winners in Test cricket. His ability to score centuries in challenging conditions has repeatedly helped the team recover from tricky situations and turn games around. He achieved a significant milestone, becoming the first Asian wicketkeeper-batter to amass 2,000 Test runs in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). His aggressive batting has been crucial in accelerating India's scoring rate, demonstrating his capacity to dominate opposition bowlers.
In the ongoing series against England, Pant has already showcased his brilliance. He made a century in each innings in the series opener in Leeds and followed it up with a brisk 65 off 58 balls in the second innings at Birmingham. The latter innings helped India increase their scoring rate as they pursued quick runs. Pant's recent form and his record-breaking numbers are a testament to his growing stature in the world of cricket. He has already hit the most centuries in Tests for India as a wicketkeeper and has demonstrated the ability to perform across different conditions with hundreds in England, Australia, India, and South Africa.
Ashwin also touched upon Shubman Gill's performance in the Edgbaston Test, suggesting that Gill could have scored 300 in the match and praising his low false shot percentage. He noted that Gill had demonstrated to his teammates how to bat in the longest format with his performance at Edgbaston. Ashwin's analysis provides valuable insights into the current form and potential of India's top cricketers as they navigate the challenges of the ongoing series against England.
