Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has said that newly appointed vice-captain Rishabh Pant should bat at No. 5 in the upcoming five-match Test series against England, rather than coming in at No. 6.
“He should be walking in at No. 5, as No. 6 would be a bit too late for him in my view,” Ashwin told RevSportz. “He has a lot of time on his hands; he doesn’t get out easily. I would be glued to the TV if he is batting.”
Ashwin also believes that Pant is a top-class Test batter who would merit selection even if he were not keeping wickets. However, he emphasised that Pant must work on his shot selection.
“He can walk into that team purely as a pedigree Test batter” – Ashwin about Pant
“I think Rishabh is a high-quality Test batsman. He can walk into that team purely as a pedigree Test batter, even without the gloves. A fantastic player, though his shot selection is occasionally questionable—but that’s part of his game, and he delivers match-winning knocks. It’s only a matter of time before he finds the right formula and becomes more consistent,” added Ashwin.
Pant is expected to be a key figure for Team India, especially in the wake of the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. In their absence, India will look to Pant to contribute significantly with the bat, given the lack of players in the current squad with a strong record in English conditions.
Notably, Pant has played nine Test matches in England, scoring 556 runs at an average of 32.70. His record includes two centuries and two fifties, with a highest score of 146.
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