Chappell Hails Rishabh Pant's Game-Changing Innings, Compares Him to Gilchrist After Headingley Heroics

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

Pant, who now serves as India's Test vice-captain, etched his name in history as only the second wicketkeeper-batter, after Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower, to achieve a century in each innings of a Test match. His explosive batting display was a major highlight of the series opener at Headingley, even though India suffered a five-wicket defeat against the hosts on Day 5.

Chappell highlighted the significance of Pant's rapid scoring rate, which provides teams with ample time to secure victories in Test 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 that Pant is revolutionizing Test batting through his fearless approach, effectively utilizing 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 early assessment 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.