Ravi Ashwin wants fans to stop comparing Rishabh Pant with Adam Gilchrist

As Rishabh Pant gears up for the third Test of the ongoing five-match series at Lord’s starting 10 July 2025, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has made a heartfelt appeal to fans and experts — stop comparing Pant to Australian legend Adam Gilchrist.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said Pant’s quality and consistency in Test cricket deserve a much higher benchmark. While many draw parallels between the two aggressive left-handed wicketkeeper-batters, Ashwin believes Pant’s game is far more rounded.

“Pant is not a newbie anymore. He is a fabulous player. He is not Adam Gilchrist — many compare him to Gilchrist. He didn't have such a good defence. Pant has a high-quality defence. He should be compared with some of the best batters, not Gilchrist,” Ashwin stated. 

Ashwin also claimed that everyone wants to get entertained by Pant but if the situation demands, he can show restraint and that makes him special. “We want him to entertain us, but he can do that and show restraint when needed. I want to benchmark Pant to his standards. Rishabh Pant can do Pant things,” he added.

Pant is the first Asian wicketkeeper to score 2,000 Test runs in SENA countries

Pant has been in excellent touch in the ongoing England tour. At Leeds, despite India losing the match, Pant stood out with twin centuries — becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter after Andy Flower to achieve this feat at that venue.

He carried that form into Edgbaston, where India bounced back with a dominant 366-run win. Pant’s counter-attacking 65 off just 58 balls in the second innings was crucial in helping India build a strong lead.

In the process, Pant became the first Asian wicketkeeper to score 2,000 Test runs in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) — another testament to his prowess away from home.

With the series level at 1-1, all eyes are now on Lord’s, where India will aim to take the lead. Pant’s form with the bat and his presence behind the stumps could prove to be a decisive factor in the outcome of this tightly contested series.

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