Shubman Gill, KL Rahul Snubbed From India's Best Test Batter Debate

Ashwin names India's best Test batter currently [Source: AFP]

With the IPL 2026 over, international cricket returned for Team India as the Shubman Gill-led side faced the touring Afghanistan side in the one-off Test match in Mullanpur. The result was never in doubt (India’s win), but the manner in which the team defeated the Afghans was commendable as the Test match ended inside three days.

Almost every single player delivered the goods for the Indian side as they won the Test match by an innings and 300 runs. It was a batting domination by the hosts as Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant showcased their skills and made the bowlers’ job easier.

Former Indian cricketer R Ashwin was impressed with how the Indian batters applied themselves and scored truckloads of runs against Afghanistan. However, he was particularly impressed by one player, who dominated the proceedings in the one-off Test.

Ashwin snubs Gill KL Rahul, names Rishabh Pant the best Test batter

Pant had a torrid time in the IPL as his team, the Lucknow Super Giants, was eliminated from the league stage. He was criticised as a batter and as a leader, and eventually, Pant stepped away from the post.

However, in whites, Pant is a different player altogether, and Ashwin snubbed the likes of Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul to hail Pant as the "best Test batter" in the current Indian team.

"He's (Pant) actually the best Test batter. When he defends, it's so good that even Gavaskar is impressed. When he defends, the ball literally pleads if it can move off the square to him. He has so much time, irrespective of how fast the ball comes at him," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin criticises Pant for throwing his wicket away

While praising Pant’s abilities, Ashwin also criticised him for throwing away his wicket at crucial junctures, and believes that Pant needs to take a bit more responsibility going forward.

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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? He has cost India a few times through baffling shots at the wrong time. As a batter, he has to take that extra responsibility. If he had converted his multiple 80s to 100s, his stats would look unbelievable."

Is Pant actually the best Test batter in Indian team?

Statistically, Pant is actually India’s best Test batter since the start of 2020. His contribution is not only about the runs he has scored in Tests, but also the stage at which those runs were scored.

Since 2020, amongst all the Indian batters, Pant has accumulated the second-most Test runs. He has accumulated 2803 runs in 39 Tests, while only Gill is ahead of him in terms of the Indian batters.

While Gill has scored more runs than him, Pant’s contributions have come in SENA countries, and in tricky conditions of England, Australia, and South Africa. While other Indian players have struggled in away conditions, Pant has scored truckloads of runs.

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