India’s veteran off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, showered praise on Rishabh Pant for his remarkable performance in the first Test between India and Bangladesh at Chennai. Pant played two contrasting yet significant innings, demonstrating his unique blend of aggression and resilience. In the first innings, Pant’s counter-attacking knock of 39 off 52 balls helped India recover after losing three early wickets, allowing them to stabilize after a shaky start.
Pant’s second innings was even more spectacular. Coming into bat with India in a dominant position, he seized control and delivered his sixth Test hundred. Scoring 109 off 128 balls, Pant’s innings was filled with breathtaking shots, as he dispatched Bangladesh’s bowlers to all corners of the ground. His authoritative knock was even more special, as it marked his return to Test cricket following his life-threatening accident in December 2022.
Ashwin’s High Praise and All-Round Brilliance in Chennai
Ravichandran Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, lauded Pant’s exceptional innings and revealed that he had predicted the wicketkeeper-batter would score a hundred in the second innings. Reflecting on Pant’s first-innings cameo, Ashwin said, “Not only did I like it, I had a good feeling when I saw Rishabh Pant’s hundred. He played very well in the 1st innings. When he played, I told Rohit (Sharma) 10 times, he plays so well. I don’t know how he gets out and doesn’t score sometimes.”
The 38-year-old off-spinner also praised Pant’s mental and physical toughness, emphasizing that Pant was born to play cricket. “He was born for cricket. He is a strong person. It goes very far when he hits. He hits with one hand only. Everyone sees that and underestimates him. He has that much capability,” Ashwin said.
Pant’s 167-run partnership with Shubman Gill in the second innings put India in a commanding position, helping them set a formidable target. Indian bowlers, led by Ashwin himself, then bowled out Bangladesh for 234, sealing a 280-run victory.
For Ashwin, it was also a memorable match. In addition to praising Pant, Ashwin starred with both bat and ball. His 113-run knock in the first innings and his 6-88 in the second helped India dominate the Test. Ashwin’s all-round brilliance earned him the Player of the Match award.
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