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NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has offered a sharp critique of Rishabh Pant’s batting approach following India’s crushing 408-run defeat to South Africa in the second Test, a loss that sealed a 0–2 home whitewash and marked one of the national team’s lowest moments in recent years.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking on his YouTube show Ash ki Baat, Ashwin praised Pant’s natural ability but said his reckless shot selection continues to let the team down at crucial moments.
“My heartbeat used to go fast in the dressing room when Rishabh Pant batted. He has a superb game and defence, so I always wonder why he would get out to shots like these,” Ashwin said. “I will still say he is a very good player, and the day he takes responsibility, things can start changing. I don’t deny the X-factor he brings.”Ashwin compared Pant’s approach to former New Zealand batter Nathan Astle’s iconic double-hundred in Christchurch — an innings he said cannot be used to justify ultra-attacking play in every match. “Astle once smashed 200-odd runs, but he didn’t play the same way in every Test. Similarly, batters cannot play the same way every time. I have said it in the dressing room, but it cannot change until he realises it.”
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Pant, who captained in the absence of an injured Shubman Gill, endured a disappointing series with just 49 runs across four innings. Ashwin warned that leadership magnifies responsibility: “If you are a captain today, 10 others will follow in your footsteps. Responsibility is a must.”Ashwin also expressed deep disappointment with India’s overall performance, saying the defeat did not hurt as much as the lack of fight shown by the team. He felt the Guwahati pitch was “of Test quality” and said India should at least have taken the match into the final session.“I wasn’t sad about losing the Test, but there was no fight,” he said. “In the dressing room, everyone should raise their hands individually and take accountability.”He added that the current Test side remains “way behind in terms of experience” and will take time to evolve.
