Greg Chappell: Rishabh Pant is Redefining Cricket with His Fearless Batting

Former India coach Greg Chappell has lauded Rishabh Pant for his innovative approach to batting, suggesting he is revolutionizing the sport. Chappell emphasized Pant's match-winning capabilities, recalling his impactful performance at Headingley.

Rishabh Pant's centuries in both innings at Headingley showcased his brilliance despite India's loss © AFP

Despite India's defeat in the Headingley Test, Pant's remarkable achievement of scoring centuries in both innings underscored his ability to change the game's dynamic.

Chappell highlighted Pant's rapid scoring rate, crucial for securing victories in Test matches. "His 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. He is reinventing the game as a batsman," Chappell noted, praising the Indian wicketkeeper's unorthodox yet effective techniques.

Pant etched his name in cricket history by becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter, following Andy Flower, to achieve a century in each innings of a Test match.

Speaking at a promotional event in Mumbai, Chappell acknowledged the influence of modern technology and evolved bat designs on the game. He said, "You know, modern technology - the bats are very different. Obviously, you can play shots that weren't possible with the old bats. But man, he's exciting to watch." He further added, "You never quite know what to expect from the first ball at any stage. He's likely to jump down the wicket to the fast bowlers, or he'll play the falling ramp shot. You never quite know what to expect, so it keeps the opposition on their toes."

Drawing comparisons with another celebrated wicketkeeper, Adam Gilchrist, Chappell emphasized the value of having a dynamic wicketkeeper-batter in the team.

"What an exciting cricketer, what a player to have on your team," he remarked. "When I first saw him, he was a different sort of player, of course, but he reminded me very much of Adam Gilchrist. You know the difference that it can make to a team to have a wicketkeeper that can bat at that level and score runs quickly."

Gill's Captaincy Debut Showed Promise

Chappell also commented on Shubman Gill's captaincy debut, observing that he displayed promising leadership qualities. He noted, "It was a terrific Test match. Sadly, India didn't finish up on the correct side, but there were a lot of good things that they did. Shubman Gill had a great start to his career as a Test match captain."

Chappell believes that Gill will continue to improve as a captain with experience. "He will only get better and better as a captain. Had the team taken a few more catches and, maybe, if the tail had wagged a bit stronger in both innings, the result could have been very different. But I think there are four Test matches to go. Let's wait and see, but I think he made a very good start as captain."