Does Ravichandran Ashwin Consider Rishabh Pant a Better Test Batsman Than Adam Gilchrist?

R. Ashwin also suggested that Australian legend Adam Gilchrist was a superior Test keeper to Rishabh Pant, who mainly plays as a batting-wicketkeeper.

Does Ravichandran Ashwin Consider Rishabh Pant a Better Test Batsman Than Adam Gilchrist?

R. Ashwin shrugged off comparisons between Rishabh Pant and Adam Gilchrist. (via Indian Express)

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Ex-Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin offered an in-depth insight into Rishabh Pant’s development as a fine red-ball player. The 38-year-old former world no. 1 bowler also shrugged off comparison between Pant and Australian wicket-keeping great Adam Gilchrist. 

Since having made his Test debut for India in 2018, Rishabh Pant has transformed himself into one of the most fearsome red-ball batters in the world. The 27-year-old has scored 3,290 runs in 45 matches at an average of 44.46, hitting eight hundreds and 16 fifties, including an iconic 159-run knock against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2019, which helped India win its first-ever Test series down under.

In the ongoing five-match series against England, Rishabh Pant has continued his excellent form against England, scoring 342 runs at an outstanding average of 85.50 in the first two matches. His brilliant display this summer includes twin centuries at Headingley, Leeds, making him the first Indian wicket-keeper to achieve this feat and only the second in Test history, after Zimbabwean legend Andy Flower.

The 27-year-old is a proven match-winner for the Indian team, and has been lauded for his aggressive batting, his ability to score runs under pressure, particularly in overseas conditions. A testament to his growing stature in the longest format is a milestone that he recently achieved, becoming the first Asian wicket-keeper to score over 2,000 runs in SENA countries. 

In appreciation of the left-hander, former Indian spinner R Ashwin called for a nuanced understanding of Pant’s role, which has made him a crowd favorite. Ashwin advised the dynamic wicket-keeper batter to combine his aggression with situational awareness, thereafter suggesting he use his attacking instincts strategically, for the benefit of the Indian team. He also touched upon the frequent comparisons between Rishabh Pant and Australian wicket-keeping icon Adam Gilchrist.

Speaking on his YouTube show ‘Ash ki Baatein’, the 38-year-old stated that these comparisons are misplaced, as Pant and Gilchrist differ significantly in terms of their batting technique and team roles. Surprisingly, Ashwin placed the 27-year-old left-hander above Gilchrist, citing Pant’s superior defensive technique. He even suggested that Pant be compared to other great Test batters, rather than Gilchrist, despite the Australian legend’s record of over 5,500 runs and 400 dismissals in Test cricket:

He [Rishabh Pant] is not Adam Gilchrist, many compare him to Gilchrist. He didn’t have such a good defense. Pant has a high-quality defense. He should be compared with some of the best batters, not Gilchrist. Rishabh Pant can do ‘Pant’ things.

Nonetheless, keeping aside these off-the-pitch discussions, Rishabh Pant is now fully focused on the third Test in the ongoing England tour, starting July 10 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. The last time India played at Lord’s, they went on to win the match by a margin of 151 runs. 

Former Pakistan Captain Draws Surprisingly Dubs Rishabh Pant as the ‘Indian Shahid Afridi’

Star Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has earned himself a new comparison, from ex-Pakistani national team captain Mushtaq Mohammad. The 81-year-old shockingly drew parallels between Pant and former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi, despite the glaring difference between the two players. 

Mushtaq Mohammed on Rishabh Pant Shahid Afridi
Mushtaq Mohammed suprisingly likened Rishabh Pant to the likes of former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

Mushtaq Mohammad, in attendance on Day 4 of India’s second Test against England at Edgbaston, claimed that Rishabh Pant is a better player than Afridi, especially with the bat. While intended as praise, this comparison sparked debate as Shahdi Afridi played just 27 Tests, while Pant has already featured in 45 Tests. Afridi was, in fact, renowned more for his ODI performances than his Test contributions.

The Pakistani legend also praised Indian Test captain Shubman Gill, who scored a double-hundred and a hundred across both the innings at Edgbaston to guide the team to a 336-run win over England. On Virat Kohli, Mushtaq exclaimed that he should have continued playing Test cricket for a few more years.