Sky247 Staff
Wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant is always in the news. Sometimes he’s criticized for his flawed keeping technique, the other time, fans are in awe of his breathtaking batting abilities. It’s tough to be a Rishabh Pant. Ever since he became the permanent member of the One Day team, he’s drawn comparison from the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. In tests, if he has an odd miss, he is immediately compared with Wriddhiman Saha and how Saha is a better keeper than Pant.
Ace Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has urged the fans and experts to give Rishabh Pant a break from constant comparisons.
“He was constantly compared with the great MS Dhoni for a long time. Now he gets compared for his wicket-keeping with (Wriddhiman) Saha, this that and all that, sometimes it’s just better to give a break and let people build on confidence,” Ashwin said at a virtual post-day press conference,” said Ashwin to PTI after the end of second day’s play.
Ashwin further said that Pant is constantly working on his keeping skills and there is no doubt that he’ll go from strength to strength. Rishabh Pant is having a fantastic game behind the stumps and took two brilliant catches in England’s first inning. It’s not an easy wicket to keep and Pant has been magnificent in the match.
“With respect to Rishabh’s keeping, the name of the game is confidence right, he has been batting well, he has been working incredibly hard on his keeping as well.
“And sometimes, when you are constantly being compared to someone who has done well for years, it can be really hard, I really do feel for Rishabh, on a lot occasions, when I am watching games from home where he is playing the white-ball format.
“He has definitely got the ability, that is why he is here and I have no doubt he will go from strength to strength.”
Ashwin himself was brilliant In England’s first inning and picked up his 29th 5 wicket haul as England were bowled out for a mere 134 in response to India’s first-inning total of 329. He also became the first bowler to dismiss 200 left-handers in Test cricket.
