Greg Chappell: Rishabh Pant is Redefining Cricket with Explosive Batting Or (depending on target audience): Cricket Revolution: Greg Chappell Says Rishabh Pant is Changing the Game

Greg Chappell Hails Rishabh Pant as a Cricket Game-Changer

Rishabh Pant is revolutionizing cricket with his unconventional and aggressive batting style, according to former India coach Greg Chappell. Chappell lauded Pant's match-winning capabilities, noting his near-decisive impact during the Headingley Test.

Pant's twin centuries light up Headingley Test despite India's loss. © AFP

Despite India's defeat at Headingley, Pant's brilliance was undeniable as he achieved the remarkable feat of scoring centuries in both innings. This underscored his ability to single-handedly alter the course of a game.

Chappell emphasized the significance of Pant's rapid scoring rate, which provides teams with ample time to secure victories. "His was a phenomenal performance," Chappell stated, adding, "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."

Pant's performance at Headingley placed him in an elite category, as he became only the second wicketkeeper-batter, after Andy Flower, to achieve the distinction of scoring a century in each innings of a Test match.

Speaking at a promotional event in Mumbai, Chappell highlighted the influence of modern technology and innovative bat designs on Pant's game. "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. 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," Chappell said.

Drawing parallels with another iconic wicketkeeper, Adam Gilchrist, Chappell acknowledged Pant's immense value to any team.

"What an exciting cricketer, what a player to have on your team," he said. "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."

Shubman Gill's Captaincy Debut

Chappell also shared his thoughts on Shubman Gill's debut as captain, expressing optimism about his future in the role. He noted that Gill had a commendable Test match and would gain valuable experience moving forward.

"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. As a player, maybe the result didn't go the right way, but conditions were probably better for him on the last day than they were at any other stage in the Test match."

Chappell concluded, "So he will have learned a lot from that. The Indian think tank will have learned a lot from what happened in the Test match. 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."