Rishabh Pant should be given a break from his constant comparisons with MS Dhoni said Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin at the post-match press conference at the end of the day’s play on day 2. Ashwin took five for 43 to get England bowled out for 134 in their first innings. Playing his first Test, Axar Patel also took 2 for 40 including the wicket of Joe Root.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant took two fabulous catches after scoring an unbeaten 58 with the bat in the first innings. Ashwin further requested reporters to end the Dhoni-Pant comparisons which has been doing the rounds in the media ever since the latter’s international debut.
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Give a Break To Rishabh Pant On Comparisons: Ravichandran Ashwin
“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,” said Ashwin on Pant.
Ravichandran Ashwin got to a few landmarks in the process of picking five wickets in the first innings. He now has the most left-handed dismissals in Test cricket. The off-spinner also went past Harbhajan Singh’s 266 Test wickets at home. He is only behind Anil Kumble’s tally of 350 wickets on home soil.
“I can’t really remember how it all started, to be honest. Obviously the ball turning away from the left-hander is one very big advantage when it comes to off-spinners and likewise left-arm orthodox spinners also enjoy bowling to right-hand batsmen.” said Ashwin.
“So for me, over the years, the left-hand batsmen have generally tended to receive a lot of bowling from round the stumps, so one thing that I have learnt better and started doing a lot more is varying the seam position” he further added.
The off-spinner is nine short of getting to 400 Test wickets.
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