User blog comment:Xilinoc/Ch. 656 - GOD OF THUNDER/@comment-26544002-20151218052353/@comment-24769684-20151218114342

Askin is not a guy you can take on through direct combat. Kenpachi who is Soul Society's most powerful warrior got rekt by Pernida because he wasn't suited to deal with the Quincy's power. I am pretty sure Ichigo would do much better against Gerard than Askin. There is no reason for Ichigo to make the distinction between elite and normal Sternritter, he didn't know what Askin's power was, and he was simply caught off guard. Bankai, if it resembles his past one, probably wouldn't have changed anything.

And I ask again: why would Ichigo reveal his Bankai to a relatively minor villain when he's supposed to defeat Yhwach? He didn't use his Bankai on the three vice captains before fighting Byakuya and even when he did fight Byakuya he only activated Bankai when the situation demanded it.