Greg Chappell: Rishabh Pant Is Redefining Cricket with Unconventional Batting Style

Former India coach Greg Chappell believes Rishabh Pant is revolutionizing cricket with his unconventional and impactful batting style. Chappell emphasized Pant's match-winning capabilities, noting his near game-changing performance at Headingley.

Rishabh Pant's centuries at Headingley showcased his ability to change the game © AFP

Despite India's loss in the Headingley Test, Pant's brilliance was undeniable, marked by centuries in both innings. This rare achievement underscores his exceptional ability to influence the game's outcome.

Chappell lauded Pant's rapid scoring rate, which creates opportunities to win 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 stated, highlighting Pant's innovative approach.

Pant's performance made history, positioning him as only the second wicketkeeper-batter, after Andy Flower, to achieve a century in each innings of a Test match.

Speaking at a promotional event in Mumbai on Wednesday (June 25), Chappell noted the impact of modern technology and bat design on the game, facilitating shots previously considered impossible. He described Pant as an exciting player to watch, unpredictable from the first ball, capable of aggressive shots like charging fast bowlers or executing the falling ramp shot. This unpredictability keeps the opposition constantly alert.

Drawing comparisons, Chappell likened Pant to Adam Gilchrist, another iconic wicketkeeper, recognizing the value of having a wicketkeeper who can bat at a high level and score quickly.

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

Chappell also commented on Shubman Gill's captaincy debut, stating that he had a good Test as a skipper and will only get better. "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."

He further added, "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."