Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stirred the cricketing debate by asserting that Rishabh Pant should not be compared to MS Dhoni, but rather to elite batters like Virat Kohli and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin praised Pant’s twin centuries in the recent Leeds Test against England, calling him a “mainstream batter” rather than a traditional wicketkeeper.
🏏 “Pant Is a Batter-Keeper, Not a Keeper-Batter”
Ashwin emphasized the distinction between Pant and Dhoni’s roles in the Test setup:
“MS Dhoni never batted at No. 5. He was a keeper-batter. Pant is a batter-keeper. There’s a big difference,” Ashwin said.
He added that Pant’s ability to dominate pace attacks and play unconventional shots like slog sweeps and late scoops sets him apart as a top-order batting force, not just a wicketkeeper.
💯 Pant’s Historic Feat at Headingley
- Scored 134 and 118 in both innings of the 1st Test vs England
- Became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score centuries in both innings of a Test
- Surpassed Dhoni’s record with eight Test centuries in just 76 innings
- Equaled the tally of four Test centuries in England held by Tendulkar and Vengsarkar
Ashwin likened Pant’s composure under pressure to Inzamam-ul-Haq, referencing Imran Khan’s 1992 World Cup quote:
“Wasim Akram is bowling so fast, yet Inzamam looks like he’s playing in slow motion”.
🧠 A Call for Greater Responsibility
Ashwin urged Pant to convert centuries into double hundreds, citing India’s lower-order fragility:
“If you’re batting on 130, go for a double hundred. Take the team to the last day,” he advised.
He also playfully requested Pant to avoid his trademark front flip celebrations in Tests, saying the format demands more physical endurance than T20s.
📌 Why It Matters
Ashwin’s remarks reflect a broader shift in how Pant is perceived—not just as Dhoni’s successor, but as a batting mainstay in his own right. With Kohli having retired from Tests, Pant’s evolution could shape India’s red-ball future.
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