Rishabh Pant: Greg Chappell Hails Indian Star as Cricket's 'Reinventor'

Greg Chappell: Rishabh Pant is Revolutionizing Cricket

Rishabh Pant is not just playing cricket; he's reinventing it. According to Greg Chappell, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter is breaking the mold with his unconventional and aggressive approach to the game.

Pant's centuries in both innings at Headingley showcased his brilliance. © AFP

Chappell emphasized Pant's match-winning capabilities, recalling how close he came to changing the outcome of the Headingley Test. Despite India's loss, Pant's performance, which included centuries in both innings, highlighted his unique ability to shift the momentum of a game. This achievement places him among a select few, as he became only the second wicketkeeper-batter, after Andy Flower, to achieve this milestone in Test cricket.

"The beauty of it is that he gets his runs at a very fast rate, which gives you time to win cricket matches," Chappell noted. He further added, "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, speaking at a promotional event in Mumbai, also acknowledged the impact of modern technology and bat designs on the game. However, he stressed that Pant's unpredictable style is what truly sets him apart. "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 to another iconic wicketkeeper, Adam Gilchrist, Chappell lauded Pant's value to any team. "What an exciting cricketer, what a player to have on your team. 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 match and will continue to improve. "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."