India’s decision to send Akash Deep as a nightwatchman late on Day 4 at Lord’s caught many fans off guard. With just 20 minutes left in the day and India chasing 193 for victory, the dismissal of captain Shubman Gill left a slot open. And instead of sending in Rishabh Pant, the team pushed out tailender Akash Deep—who clearly wasn’t ready, with his gear loosely strapped on.
Now, Ravichandran Ashwin has decoded the decision—and it all comes down to Pant simply not wanting to bat at that stage.
Ashwin Recalls: ‘Pant Said, Main Nahi Jaa Raha Batting Karne’
On his YouTube channel, Ashwin shared an old story that mirrored what happened at Lord’s.
“During that Test in Mirpur, when we were chasing 140, Rishabh told Rahul bhai, ‘Main nahi jaa raha batting karne.’ There were still 30-40 minutes left in the day. But he didn’t want to go. Eventually, Axar Patel and Jaydev Unadkat were sent in.”
According to Ashwin, Pant simply doesn’t like batting late in the day. It’s a pattern—not a one-off.
“Even against New Zealand, when Virat got out, Rishabh didn’t want to bat. So we had to send in Siraj.”
The Strategy: Protect the Key Batter or Take the Risk?
While sending Akash Deep was clearly a defensive move, Ashwin didn’t blame the team. With Pant being one of India’s most important batters, it made sense to shield him from a tricky end-of-day spell under lights.
“It’s a tough call. Protecting your best batter is important. But if the nightwatchman gets out—as Akash Deep did—it puts you under more pressure.”
Despite the risk, Ashwin agreed it was probably the right call given the time left in the day and the target ahead.
Now, It’s Up to Pant on Day 5
India ended Day 4 at 58/4, needing 135 more runs to take a 2-1 lead in the series. With KL Rahul already back in the pavilion and pressure mounting, the spotlight will firmly be on Rishabh Pant.
Whether he just didn’t feel like facing the last few overs, or wanted to walk out fresh on Day 5, that decision now carries extra weight. Because in a chase this close, every moment—and every batter’s mindset—could decide the match.
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