Greg Chappell Praises Rishabh Pant's 'Game-Changing' Innings Against England, Cites Gilchrist Comparison

Greg Chappell Lauds Rishabh Pant's Game-Changing Innings Against England

Former India coach Greg Chappell has showered praise on Rishabh Pant following his remarkable centuries at Headingley. Chappell likened Pant's impact to that of Australian legend Adam Gilchrist, recognizing him as a true game-changer.

Pant, who now serves as India's Test vice-captain, 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 dynamic batting display stood out in the series opener at Headingley, even though India faced a five-wicket defeat on Day 5.

Chappell highlighted the significance of Pant's rapid scoring rate. "The beauty of it 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 remarked during an event in Mumbai.

Chappell believes Pant is revolutionizing Test match 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.

Pant's unpredictability further impressed Chappell. "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.

Reflecting on his initial impressions of Pant, Chappell stated, "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.