Former Indian spinner and commentator Ravi Ashwin has expressed his views on the former Indian vice-captain Rishabh Pant’s batting performances in the just-concluded two-match Test tour to Sri Lanka, which India won by 1-0.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin asserted that his expectations from Pant haven’t been fulfilled until now. Notably, Pant amassed 168 runs from three innings at an average of 56 with two half-centuries on the Sri Lankan tour.
“My expectation from Rishabh Pant hasn’t been fulfilled till now. I am very sorry. Sonal Dinusha had his strike rate up there. But the difference is high-risk options. When you have the game in your hand, these are all statements: ‘That’s how Rishabh plays.’ It is about what your team needs,” Ashwin said during a show on his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat.
Additionally, Ashwin stated that while Pant played classic knocks at the SCG and Gabba during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21, India couldn’t have won those matches without the efforts from Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur.
“Rishabh played a class knock in Sydney and Brisbane, but you couldn’t have won that match without Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur. It takes 11 cricketers to build a Test and win it in the last session of the game, but it takes only 1 moment of foolishness to lose a Test,” he added.
“I am just talking about the times when these chances are being taken when the game is on the line. I love Rishabh the player. It is about playing situations in this format. Sehwag and Gilchrist played a high brand of cricket, but these two don’t get edged out while dancing down to Marco Jansen when your team is trailing by 500 runs. Don’t place these marketing lines in front of me ever again,” he concluded.
