When India lost their skipper Shubman Gill at around 10:40 PM IST last night—just 20 minutes before stumps—it marked a key turning point. At 42/3 in pursuit of 193, England were suddenly back in the contest. Having been repeatedly troubled by India’s top-order through the series, Ben Stokes’ side had fresh momentum. As KL Rahul waited to bat, Akash Deep walked in unexpectedly, still fiddling with his gloves and arm guard—clearly an impromptu move. The decision to use him as a nightwatchman seemed to be made at the last minute, likely to protect a critical batter like Rishabh Pant, with Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, and Washington Sundar also left to bat.

 

The gamble partially worked—Akash Deep absorbed some pressure and helped Rahul avoid a late dismissal—but India still lost a fourth wicket just before stumps. Was it the right move? That’s for the team management to answer. However, former India spinner R. Ashwin might have provided some insight, revealing that Pant isn’t keen on batting during the closing stages of a day’s play.

 

Sharing an anecdote on his YouTube channel, Ashwin recalled the Mirpur Test where India were chasing a modest 140. After India lost two early wickets, Pant told head coach Rahul Dravid, *“Main nahi ja raha batting karne”* (I’m not going out to bat). With about 30-40 minutes still left in the day, Pant opted out, leading the team to send Axar Patel and Jaydev Unadkat instead as nightwatchmen.

 

Ashwin recalled another similar incident where Pant again showed reluctance to bat late in the day, this time leading to Siraj being sent out and subsequently dismissed, forcing a frontline batter to come in anyway. While Ashwin didn’t criticise India’s decision to send Akash Deep this time, he pointed out the risks—sending a tailender could backfire if they fall early.

 

“Rishabh doesn't enjoy batting in those last 30–40 minutes. That's probably why Akash Deep was sent. It’s understandable—you want to protect your key player. But if he gets out, you're in even deeper trouble,” Ashwin said.

 

In the context of India needing just 190 runs, Ashwin felt the decision made sense. Protecting Pant, who’s in good form, was important. Still, he noted that 30–40 runs could make all the difference in a low target chase. Ideally, Rahul should bat deep, but Pant stepping in early might’ve been beneficial too.