Rishabh Pant Can Score Centuries Every Match: Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin praised Rishabh Pant’s defensive skills and urged him to balance aggression with control to unlock his full potential.
Spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Rishabh Pant, with “one of the best defenses” in world cricket, has the potential to score a century in every match if he learns to control his aggressive instincts. Ashwin commended Pant’s ability to change the course of a game but noted that his risky stroke play often limits his success.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “We have to tell him properly what he has to do if he has to bat solid 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 realise his fullest potential.”
Ashwin emphasized Pant’s versatility, acknowledging his wide range of shots, including the reverse sweep and slog sweep, but pointed out the high-risk nature of these strokes. He added, “With his defense, he will surely score runs every game if he faces 200 balls. The point is finding that middle game. If he combines all of it, he will score 100 runs every game. He has to find that middle game.”
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Reflecting on Pant’s contrasting innings, Ashwin remarked, “In Sydney, he played two different knocks in one single game. He got hit everywhere and scored a 40; it will be the least spoken innings of Rishabh Pant. It is very unfair. In the second innings, he scored a swashbuckling fifty, earning him a lot of praise. Everyone forgot that first innings and praised him for the second knock.”
For the unaware, Pant showcased his abilities during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy match against Australia in Sydney. He scored a resilient 40 off 98 balls in the first innings and followed it up with a blistering 61 off just 33 balls in the second.
Last Updated on January 10, 2025
