Former Indian off-spinner R Ashwin has shared strong views on the ever-growing legacy of Rishabh Pant, saying the wicketkeeper-batter has gone beyond being a “newbie” and deserves to be benchmarked against elite Test batters, not just other keepers. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “Rishabh Pant is not a newbie anymore. So now, I want to judge Rishabh Pant by his own standards. I want to benchmark him against Rishabh Pant.” Ashwin acknowledged that comparisons with Adam Gilchrist are common, but feels they don’t do justice to Pant’s all-round game. “People often compare him with Gilchrist, but he’s not. Gilchrist was a very good gloveman who took games away batting at No.7. But Pant is batting at No.5 and things are very different.” Ashwin then praised Pant’s technique and temperament, especially in red-ball cricket. “Adam Gilchrist didn’t have this kind of defence. Pant has a high-quality defence. He should be compared with some of the best batters in the world, not just wicketkeepers.”Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? Pant has been in outstanding form in the ongoing Test series against England, scoring centuries in both innings of the first Test and following it up with a gritty half-century at Edgbaston. His ability to dominate with the bat in pressure situations has made him one of India’s biggest match-winners in the format. With the five-match series level at 1-1, all eyes will be on Pant as India head to Lord’s for the third Test.
