Despite facing criticism for his poor shot selection during the recent five-match Test series against Australia, Ravichandran feels that Rishabh Pant still has some untapped potential.
Pant's recent performances have drawn considerable scrutiny after he failed to replicate the heroics he displayed during the 2020-21 Australia tour, where India notched a memorable win in Perth. In the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Pant scored only 255 runs in five Tests across nine innings at a lowly average of 28.33, with a highest score of 61 in the final innings in Sydney. India ended up losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3 to Australia which marked the end of their dominance Down Under.
R Ashwin comes to Rishabh Pant's defence amidst criticism around latter's shot selection
Ashwin believes that the young wicketkeeper-batter has the potential to improve his performance and contribute to the Indian team's success in the future.
Ashwin, who recently retired from international cricket, has expressed high praise for Rishabh Pant's abilities. Despite facing criticism for his recent performances, Ashwin believes that Pant possesses one of the finest defensive techniques in world cricket.
Ashwin went on to say that Pant has the potential to score a century in every match if he can effectively balance his aggressive instincts with a more patient approach. He revealed that Pant has never been dismissed by him in the nets, highlighting his strong defensive skills. Ashwin further praised Pant for his exceptional range of shots and his ability to significantly impact the game within a short span.
“We have to tell him properly what he has to do if he has to bat solidly or bat with intent. He hasn't scored a lot of runs, but he didn't play like someone without runs. He has a lot of time on his hands. Rishabh Pant is yet to realize his fullest potential,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“He has all the shots—the reverse sweep, the slog sweep, everything—but the problem is that all these shots are high-risk shots. With his defense, he will surely score runs every game if he faces 200 balls. The point is finding that middle ground. If he combines all of it, he will score 100 runs every game. He has to find that middle game,” he added.
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Pant is renowned for his aggressive and attacking batting style. However, Ashwin was not surprised by Pant's display of grit and determination in the first innings of the Sydney Test. Despite his usual attacking approach, Pant showcased a more patient and measured innings in the first innings, scoring 40 runs at a slower pace.
However, in the second innings, Pant unleashed his attacking prowess, scoring the second-fastest Test fifty by an Indian in just 29 deliveries.
“We must realize that Rishabh Pant rarely gets out playing a defense. He’s got one of the best defenses in world cricket. Defense has become a challenging aspect; he has the best defense with a soft hand. I will change my name if someone can show me Pant getting out while defending 10 times," former India's spin wizard further stated.
"I have bowled to him a lot in the nets; he’s not gotten out; he doesn’t get an edge; he doesn’t get LBW; he has the best defense. I have tried telling it to him. One opinion about Rishabh was that he plays a lot of shots; he has to fight it out in Test cricket,” he concluded.