Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opined on the concerns surrounding India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant ahead of the fourth Test against England. Despite some suspense, Ashwin believes Pant will play in the fourth game. Notably, Rishabh Pant injured his finger in the previous Test, and Dhruv Jurel kept wickets coming in as a substitute.

“I don’t think there were any concerns about Pant. I don’t understand how it became a concern. It is just a way of sensationalizing news I feel. How much can a finger injury be if the finger is not broken? There will be a little bit impact obviously. If there would not have been a rule for a substitute keeper you would have seen Rishabh Pant keep even in the last game. It is a good thing that he rested himself and came back to bat but it was never a matter of concern. If the finger wasn’t broken he was anyway going to keep in the fourth Test,” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash ki baat’.

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“This England team, man to man, will not match India skills wise. Looking at how Siraj and Bumrah bowled, if you bring Anshul Kamboj in, I’m telling you that is a serious bowling attack. People will tell he hasn’t played but he was there on the A tour. He’s been in cracking form in first-class cricket. He is used to bowling long spells and you need that in England. He will be a really good foil for Siraj and Bumrah. Prasidh is also an option but I would rather go with Anshul,” he again said.

However, Ravichandran Ashwin also applauded Anshul Kamboj, sharing his qualities as a fast bowler. Ashwin also explained that Anshul has an important trait of understanding plans and executing them as well.

“An enjoyable and appreciable thing about Anshul Kamboj is that he understands the plan. Many bowlers with 30-40 Tests and beyond also do not understand plans. They will just say I will express myself, enjoy my game, I am here to let loose and all. One is understanding a plan, the other is to execute your plan that way. Many bowlers do not have this strength. But Anshul not only understands a plan but can make one too and execute as well, which is a not a trait a lot of Indian fast bowlers had,” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.