Chennai: Senior India spinner Ravi Ashwin has expressed that the wicket keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant needs a break from all the constant comparisons with MS Dhoni and Wriddhiman Saha.
Pant has overshone a lot in few months. He has been in a form ever since the Australian Tour bat. After playing an instrumental role in helping India clinch a historic 2-1 Test series win the youngster has continued his stellar run with the bat in the ongoing Test series against England. He played a brilliant inning of 90 runs in the first Test against England which India lost and also notched up a quickfire 50 in the second Test.
“He was constantly compared with the great M S 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 was quoted as saying to PTI.
Ashwin remarked that Pant needs to be given time to play to his strengths to help him his build confidence. Ashwin believes Pant has the skills and the ability required to become India’s first-choice keeper across formats.
“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 added.
