Greg Chappell, the former Australian cricketer, has praised India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant for his performance. Pant’s aggressive batting in the opening Test against England at Headingley drew praise. Pant’s achievement of scoring centuries in both innings of the match, is a historic feat. This accomplishment has led to the admiration of Greg Chappell, who believes Pant is redefining batting.
Chappell remarked, “The beauty is Rishabh gets runs at a very fast rate which gives you time to win cricket matches. His was a phenomenal performance. Some of the shots he played weren’t in the MCC playing manual. He is really reinventing the game as a batsman. With modern technology, the bats are very different and you can play shots which weren’t possible with the old bats. He’s exciting to watch.”
Chappell added, “When I first saw him, he reminded me of Adam Gilchrist…a different sort of player, of course, but…the difference it can make to a team when a wicketkeeper can bat at that level and to score runs quickly. You never quite know what to expect from him from the first ball. At any stage he is likely to jump down the wicket to the fast bowlers or play the falling ramp shot. You never quite know what to expect. It keeps the opposition on their toes. He is a match winner (and he) very nearly made the difference in that game.”
In the first Test against England at Headingley, Rishabh Pant’s performance was exceptional, becoming the first Asian wicketkeeper to achieve centuries in both innings. After scoring 134 in the first innings, Pant added another century in the second, demonstrating his skill. Though India lost the match, Pant’s twin centuries were a highlight, showcasing his value as a consistent middle-order batsman and game-changer in red-ball cricket.