Greg Chappell Hails Rishabh Pant's "Game-Changing" Innings, Likens Him to Adam Gilchrist After Headingley Heroics

Greg Chappell Lauds Rishabh Pant's Game-Changing Innings, Compares Him to Adam Gilchrist

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

Rishabh Pant's explosive batting earned high praise from Greg Chappell.

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. Despite India's five-wicket loss to England on Day 5 of the series opener at Headingley, Pant's explosive batting was a major highlight.

Chappell commented on Pant's rapid scoring rate, emphasizing its importance in winning Test matches. "The beauty of it is that he gets his runs at a very fast rate, which gives you time to win cricket matches," Chappell said at a Mumbai event. "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 Pant is transforming Test batting with his fearless approach, effectively utilizing modern bats and his inherent 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 also highlighted 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.”

Following his twin centuries, Pant achieved a career-best seventh position in the ICC Test rankings for batters. India will aim to capitalize on his impressive form in the second Test, scheduled to begin on July 2, seeking a victory to level the series.