India’s Rishabh Pant had a record-breaking outing in the 1st Test at Leeds, becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter in history to score twin Test centuries. Yet, despite Pant’s brilliance, India lost, and his match-defining knocks of 134 and 118 came under analytical scrutiny from senior cricketers — notably Ravichandran Ashwin and Gautam Gambhir.
Lower-Order Collapse Means You Must Bat Longer’: Ashwin’s Advice
Speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin lauded Pant’s talent but offered a key piece of advice:
“If I were Gautam Gambhir, I would pull Pant aside and say, ‘You played exceptionally well, but next time you’re at 130, make it a double hundred — because the lower-order won’t help much.’”
Ashwin noted that in both innings, India collapsed dramatically after Pant’s dismissals:
- 1st Innings: India lost 7 wickets for 41 runs, going from 430/3 to 471 all out.
- 2nd Innings: India crashed from 333/4 to 364, losing 6 wickets for 31 runs.
Pant’s Place in the Record Books
Pant joined elite company:
- 7th Indian to score twin centuries in a Test.
- Surpassed MS Dhoni in most Test centuries as a wicketkeeper for India.
- Only the second wicketkeeper in history (after Andy Flower) to score 100s in both innings of a Test.
‘Pant is Not a Keeper-Batter, He’s a Main Batter’
Ashwin dismissed comparisons with MS Dhoni:
“Dhoni never batted at No. 5. He was a keeper-batter. Pant is a batter-keeper — he must be compared to top batters like Kohli, not wicketkeepers.”
He further praised Pant’s range, time against pacers, and natural flair, but stressed on temperament and tactical maturity.
Loss Despite Heroics
Despite Pant’s twin hundreds, England chased down 371 to win by five wickets, thanks to:
- A 188-run opening stand (Duckett 149, Crawley 65)
- A composed finish by Joe Root (53)* and Jamie Smith (44)*
Pant’s efforts were phenomenal, but Ashwin’s message is clear: If the tail doesn’t wag, the top needs to stay.
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