‘Rishabh Pant needs a break from being compared with MS Dhoni and W Saha’, say R Ashwin

New Delhi: Ravichandran 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 been in a form ever since the Australian Tour. Ashwin remarked on Day 2 of India vs England second Test, the youngster should be given time to play to his full strength for building his confidence.

After failing to fill the shoes of former wicketkeeper MS Dhoni, Pant has been benched for many matches until he was seen back in action in the Australian Test series.

“He was constantly compared with the great MS 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 stated on Sunday.

Pant helped team India with winning the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia with an excellent display of his play in both wicket keeping as well as in batting sectors. First Test against England which India failed to win, the youngster bashed 90 runs with a brilliant play and in the second Test scored a quick 50. Pant caught two remarkable catches on the second day of the second Test, dismissing Ollie Pope and Jack Leach. England player’s wickets kept on falling ever since.

“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 commented.