Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has raised concerns over Rishabh Pant’s shot selection in Test cricket, urging the wicketkeeper-batter to show greater awareness of match situations after yet another dismissal in the nervous 80s. Pant looked on course for a well-deserved century during India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur.

However, his promising innings came to an abrupt end on 81 when he charged down the track and attempted an ambitious shot against Hashmatullah Shahidi despite fielders being stationed near the boundary. The dismissal marked the ninth occasion in Pant’s Test career that he has been dismissed between 80 and 99, reigniting a long-standing debate about his decision-making at crucial moments.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin admitted that Pant’s inability to convert strong starts into centuries remains frustrating, especially considering the immense talent he possesses.

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“You’ve got out so many times in the 80s and 90s. It’s impossible to discover such a great Test batter. But playing such a shot on 80 is mind-boggling. Having come to 80, can’t you play for another 20 runs?” Ravichandran Ashwin said.

The former India spinner believes Pant’s aggressive instincts, while often match-winning, can sometimes work against both the player and the team. Ashwin pointed out that after playing more than 50 Tests, Pant has reached a stage in his career where adapting to different match situations is just as important as playing fearless cricket.

“All batters make mistakes, but the amount of time he does it is disappointing. He has played more than 50 Tests now, so he needs to start playing the situation for the team on many occasions,” Ravichandran Ashwin added.

Ashwin further suggested that if Pant had converted even a few of those missed opportunities into centuries, his Test record would rank among the very best in world cricket. Interestingly, Ravichandran Ashwin balanced his criticism with high praise for Pant’s batting ability. The former spinner described him as one of India’s finest Test batters, highlighting his exceptional defensive technique and ability to handle pace with remarkable ease.

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“He’s actually the best Test batter. When he defends, it’s so good that even Gavaskar is impressed. He has so much time, irrespective of how fast the ball comes at him,” Ashwin remarked.

Ravichandran Ashwin concluded by stressing that successful Test batting is built on calculated risk and percentage-based decision-making. While Pant’s fearless style has made him one of India’s biggest match-winners in the format, the challenge now is finding the balance between natural aggression and situational awareness to consistently turn promising starts into match-defining centuries.