Evaluating Rishabh Pant's recent Test outing, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed strong dissatisfaction with the wicketkeeper-batter’s temperament, linking his questionable shot selection directly to his absence from India's limited-overs sides. Although Pant chipped in with 168 runs across two half-centuries in the recent series, Ashwin argued that a player boasting 52 Test appearances must exhibit far greater maturity. He noted that while Pant has produced a handful of iconic match-winning innings, his persistent reliance on high-risk options often puts the team in precarious positions.
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R Ashwin questions Rishabh Pant's shot selection
Ashwin pushed back against the common defense that reckless shots are simply part of Pant's aggressive identity, insisting that match situation and team requirements must always come first. Drawing comparisons to Sri Lanka's Sonal Dinusha, who scored rapidly without taking unnecessary risks, Ashwin pointed out that iconic victories—like those in Sydney and Brisbane—required vital contributions from lower-order players like Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur. While clarifying his deep appreciation for Pant's raw talent, Ashwin cautioned that while winning a Test requires a coordinated five-day effort from all eleven players, a single foolish decision can instantly undo that hard work.
'My expectation from Rishabh Pant has not been fulfilled'
Ashwin rejected the notion that Rishabh Pant deserves exclusive leniency or unconditional backing simply because of his 'once-in-a-generation' label. He argued that if team management is granting long ropes based on extraordinary potential, that privilege should extend equally across the squad to young match-winners like Yashasvi Jaiswal rather than being reserved for a single individual.
"My expectation from Rishabh Pant has not been fulfilled till now. I am very sorry. It takes 11 cricketers to build a Test and win it in the last session of the game, but it takes only one moment of foolishness to lose a Test," Ashwin said on his Youtube channel.
“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’s about playing situations in this format," he added.
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Ashwin’s critique carries distinct weight because it stems from years of shared dressing room experience, having witnessed Pant’s match-winning brilliance and untimely dismissals firsthand. The core of his argument hits home: having crossed the 50-Test threshold, the explosive keeper-batter can no longer lean on the tag of an inexperienced campaigner. Continuing to dismiss reckless dismissals with the familiar cliche of 'that's just his natural game' increasingly reads as a refusal to take responsibility rather than a legitimate tactical defense.
Yet, balancing that criticism requires acknowledging the unique double-edged sword of Pant's style. That very same audacious mindset has snatched iconic victories from the brink of defeat—unforgettable efforts like Sydney and Brisbane were direct results of his willingness to counterattack when others chose defense. The goal isn't to strip away his signature aggression or force him into a conventional mold, but rather to sharpen his situational awareness so he knows when to launch an assault and when to grid it out. Ultimately, Ashwin’s exasperation reflects a wider sentiment in Indian cricket: a desire to see a generational talent bridge the gap between match-winning flashes and unwavering consistency.