“He’s No Dhoni!” – Ashwin Says Rishabh Pant Belongs in Kohli’s League

Rishabh Pant made a strong statement with the bat in the first Test against England at Headingley, scoring centuries in both innings, 134 in the first and 118 in the second.

With this, he became the first Indian and only the second wicketkeeper in Test history to achieve this feat.

Following Pant’s match-winning effort, praises poured in from all directions. Among them was senior Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who took to his YouTube channel to praise Pant but with a sharp perspective.

Don’t Compare Pant With Dhoni

Ashwin said comparisons between Pant and MS Dhoni were not fair because both played very different roles in the Test side. While Dhoni mostly batted lower down the order, Pant is a proper top-five batter.

“Rishabh Pant should be compared with the likes of Virat Kohli. He is a mainstream batter. Because he has got so much time…” Ashwin said.

Ashwin also drew a comparison between Pant and Pakistan legend Inzamam-ul-Haq, saying that Pant’s ability to pick the line and length early makes him a special player.

“Some players have that rare skill to pick the ball quickly. Rishabh Pant is one of them. His body positioning and awareness are brilliant.”

Ashwin’s Message To Pant

Ashwin was all praise for Pant’s technique but urged him to convert his hundreds into big hundreds.

“When you’re batting on 130, push for a double hundred. The lower order may not add much, so take it upon yourself to go the distance.”

The off-spinner also asked Pant to be careful with his celebrations and workload:

“Please avoid that front flip celebration. Test cricket is long and tiring. He’s not just a keeper anymore; he’s one of India’s top batters.”

With performances like these, Ashwin believes that Pant has proved himself as a match-winner and should now be seen in the same bracket as India’s top batting greats.