New Delhi
Former Indian veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praised Rishabh Pant's batting skills, saying he has a "superb game and defence". However, he also expressed disappointment with Pant's reckless shot selection, which often leads to his dismissal.
Ashwin believes Pant is a very good player and has the potential to make a significant impact, but he needs to take more responsibility and be more careful with his shots.
This comes after India suffered a humiliating 408-run defeat to South Africa in the second test, resulting in a 0-2 series loss.
"My heartbeat used to go fast in the dressing room when Rishabh Pant batted. He has a superb game and defence, so I always wonder why he would get out to shots like these. I will still say he is a very good player, and the day he takes responsibility, things can start changing. I don't deny the X-factor he brings. Nathan Astle once smashed 200-odd runs in Christchurch," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash ki Baat.
"But he didn't play the same way in every Test after that. Similarly, batters cannot play the same way every time. I have said it in the dressing room, but it cannot change until he realises it. If you are a captain today, 10 others will follow in your footsteps. So, responsibility is a must," he added.
Pant was India's stand-in skipper for the second Test against South Africa as regular captain Shubman Gill was ruled out of the fixture due to a neck injury. Pant had a quiet outing in the Proteas Test series with only 49 runs under his belt in four innings.
Ashwin expressed his disappointment with India's performance in the Test series, stating that he wasn't sad about losing but was disheartened by the team's lack of fight.
He felt that the pitch in Guwahati for the second match was of Test quality and would have been proud if the team had shown more resilience and taken the match to the last session.
"I wasn't sad about losing the Test, but there was no fight. This pitch was also of Test quality. I would've been happy had they taken it to the last session and lost. I understand a leader should take responsibility, but in the dressing room, everyone should raise their hands individually and take that accountability," Ashwin added.
Ashwin also believes that this Indian Test team is way behind in terms of experience.
"Only then, the improvement will come. I will still say this team is way behind in terms of experience and everything in Test cricket. It will take time for this time to go up," he concluded.
This is India's second whitewash at home under the head coach Gautam Gambhir. 0-3 to NZ last year and 0-2 vs SA now - two home Test series defeats for India in two years.
This is also South Africa's first Test series win in India since 2000. The last time the Proteas won a Test series in India was under the leadership of Hansie Cronje, who won the series 2-0. Temba Bavuma became the latest skipper to join the list.
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