Ashwin has a serious request for Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is now only the 2nd wicket-keeper to score a century in both innings of a Test.

IMAGE: Rishabh Pant became the now only the 2nd wicket-keeper to score a century in both innings of a Test after his twin tons in the opening Test against England at Headingley in Leeds. Photograph: BCCI/X

India's vice-captain Rishabh Pant has started the England Test tour on a bright note, slamming tons in both innings of the opening Test.

He hit twin centuries (134 and 118) and shattered a slew of records with his flamboyant yet composed ton on Day 4 of the second innings of the first Test against England at Headingley.

The wicket-keeper's inability to carry on and convert those hundreds into a double hundred likely cost India the match, as he got out soon after tea on Day 4 as the visitors slumped from 287 for 4 to 364 all out in the 3rd session on the penultimate day.

India eventually lost the Test by five wickets as England completed a composed chase on Day 5.

Now, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has requested Team India coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill to have a word with Pant ahead of the second Test.

'Rishabh had a fabulous game as a batter. I would like to repeat that Rishabh has got a great defence. There is not a single shot in the book that he cannot play,' Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat.

'I sometimes feel if I were Gautam Gambhir or Shubman Gill, I would take Rishabh Pant aside and say, Bhai, tune kya batting kiya hai, kamaal ka batting kiya tune (Brother, you’ve batted brilliantly). I would love to be a batter with the kind of ability you have. But can I request you to make a double hundred next time when you're batting on 130?' That is the only request I would make of Rishabh,' added Ashwin.

"I've only one more request to Pant, please don't do that front flip. In Tests, your body gets tired unlike in IPL where you will not play more than 50-60 balls. He is a bona fide top batter in the Indian lineup. So he has nothing to prove."

Ashwin said comparing Rishabh Pant to Mahendra Singh Dhoni was not appropriate, as the latter never batted at the reasonably high No. 5 position.

"... Rishabh Pant should be compared with the likes of Virat Kohli...He is a mainstream batter. Because he has got so much time...," he said.

Ashwin compared Pant's ability to pick a delivery with Pakistani great Inzamam-ul-Haq.

"...some of these special batters have that knack of picking the ball early. They pick the line quickly, pick the length quickly and they get into lovely positions. Rishabh Pant is one of those rare players who has got that special skill," he said.

India play England in the 2nd Test at Birmingham starting July 2.