Rishabh Pant's Fearless Batting Revolutionizes Test Cricket, Draws Adam Gilchrist Comparisons: Greg Chappell

Greg Chappell Lauds Rishabh Pant's Impactful Batting, Compares Him to Adam Gilchrist

Former India coach Greg Chappell has showered praise on Rishabh Pant following the wicketkeeper-batter's remarkable twin centuries at Headingley. Chappell describes Pant as a game-changer, drawing parallels between his influence and that of Australian legend Adam Gilchrist.

Rishabh Pant's explosive batting defined India's performance at Headingley.

Pant, now the Test vice-captain for India, achieved a rare feat by becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter, after Zimbabwe's Andy Flower, to score a century in each innings of a Test match. His aggressive batting was a highlight of the series opener at Headingley, despite India's five-wicket defeat on Day 5.

Chappell emphasized the significance of Pant's rapid scoring rate, stating, "The beauty of it (Pant's batting) is that he gets his runs at a very fast rate, which gives you time to win cricket matches. It was a phenomenal performance; some of the shots that he played probably weren't in the MCC coaching manual when I last looked at it."

Chappell believes that Pant is revolutionizing Test batting with his fearless approach, leveraging modern bats and his own natural talent.

"He is reinventing the game as a batter. You know, modern technology, the bats are very different. You can play shots that weren't possible with the old bats. But man, he's exciting to watch," he added.

Chappell was particularly impressed by Pant's ability to keep bowlers guessing. "You never quite know what to expect from the first ball at any stage. He's likely to jump down the wicket to the pacers, or he'll play the falling ramp shot. You never quite know what to expect, so it keeps the opposition on their toes," he explained.

Recalling his initial impressions of Pant, Chappell noted, "When I first saw him, he was a different sort of player, of course, but he reminded me very much of Adam Gilchrist."

Pant's twin centuries propelled him to a career-best seventh position in the ICC Test rankings for batters. India aims to capitalize on his explosive form in the second Test, commencing on July 2nd, seeking a victory to level the series.

Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu’s inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.