Pant's Explosive Centuries Draw Gilchrist Comparisons, Says Chappell

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 hailed Pant as a game-changer, drawing comparisons between his impact and that of Australian legend Adam Gilchrist.

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 both innings of a Test match. His aggressive batting display was a major highlight in the series opener at Headingley, despite India's five-wicket defeat against the hosts on Day 5.

"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 stated at a recent event in Mumbai.

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

“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 unpredictable style also 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 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.