‘He doesn't get edge, doesn't get LBW, hasn't got out': Ashwin ready to 'change name' if Pant's defence is questioned

Rishabh Pant, who coped with a lot of criticism for his poor shot selection in both innings of the Melbourne Test, is yet to realise his full potential, and when he does that, he can score a century in every Test, feels former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin. The recently retired cricketer said Pant needs to find a balance between offence and defence to score more consistently, as the left-hander has every shot in the book and can change the course of the match in a matter of overs.

"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," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

"He has all the shots -- reverse sweep, slog sweep, everything -- but the problem is that all these shots are high-risk shots. With his defence, 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," the great off-spinners said.

Pant played contrasting knocks in the two innings of the SCG Test, as his 98-ball 40 in the first was followed by 33-ball 61 in the second essay. The keeper, though, could not do an encore of his exploits in the 2020-21 BGT, when he powered India to a famous win in the series decider at the Gabba, which was until then known as Australia's fortress.

While Pant is known for his penchant to play expansive shots, Ashwin was not surprised by the keeper's tenacious innings in the first essay.

"I have always grown up hearing that you have fight it out. 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," Ashwin pointed out.

Ashwin says Rishabh Pant has the best defence

Speaking about Pant's defensive technique, Ashwin said he is one of the best in that department and appeared to rate the Indian alongside Joe Root and Steve Smith as the best batters in the last seven years, when batting has become "significantly difficult and averages have decreased."

"We must realise that Rishabh Pant rarely gets out playing a defence. He's got one of the best defences in world cricket. Defence has become a challenging aspect, he has the best defence with a soft hand. I will change my name if someone can show me Pant getting out while defending 10 times.

"I have bowled to him a lot in the nets, he's not gotten out, he doesn't get an edge, he doesn't get LBW, he has the best defence. I have tried telling it to him. One opinion about Rishabh was that he plays a lot of shots, he has to fight it out in Test cricket," Ashwin said.

"Test cricket is playing according to situation. In the last seven years, batting has become significantly difficult, from 2018 to 2025. But, in the WTC cycle, batting averages have decreased.

"Joe Root is in his own zone. Of course, Williamson... Smith has rediscovered again. What we realised is, Rishabh Pant has played in these times."

Ashiwn, 38, who retired from international cricket in the middle of the BGT, said he will continue to play the game.

"It was about me as an India cricketer, that's over. But Ashwin as a cricketer is not over yet. I feel that there is still some distance for that.

"I feel that I can talk about my personal decision over a period of time. In fact, I want to document my entire story as an Indian cricketer."