Rishabh Pant's Explosive Innings Draw Adam Gilchrist Comparisons: Greg Chappell's Analysis

Greg Chappell Lauds Rishabh Pant's Impact, 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 hailed him as a game-changer, drawing parallels between his influence and that of Australian legend Adam Gilchrist.

Pant's explosive batting defined the first Test.

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 explosive batting display stood out in the series opener at Headingley, even though India succumbed to a 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 remarked at an event in Mumbai.

Chappell believes Pant is revolutionizing Test batting with his fearless approach, effectively utilizing modern bats and his own innate 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 unpredictable nature and ability to keep bowlers guessing 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.

Recalling his initial impressions of the left-hander, Chappell said, "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 hundreds propelled him to a career-best seventh position in the ICC Test rankings for batters. India will aim to leverage his explosive form in the second Test, scheduled to begin on July 2. A victory would level the series for the visitors.