Chappell Hails Pant's "Game-Changing" Innings, Draws Gilchrist Comparison After Headingley Heroics

Greg Chappell Lauds Rishabh Pant's "Game-Changing" Innings Against England

Former India coach Greg Chappell has showered praise on Rishabh Pant following the wicketkeeper-batter's remarkable centuries at Headingley. Chappell likened Pant's impact to that of Australian legend Adam Gilchrist, calling him a "game-changer."

Rishabh Pant's aggressive batting style was on full display.

Pant achieved a rare feat, becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter after Zimbabwe's Andy Flower to score a century in both innings of a Test match. His explosive batting was a major highlight of the series opener at Headingley, despite India's five-wicket loss on Day 5.

"The beauty of it is that he gets his runs at a very fast rate, which gives you time to win cricket matches," Chappell said at an event in Mumbai. "It 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."

Chappell believes Pant is revolutionizing Test batting with his fearless approach, making the most of modern bats and his own natural talent.

"He is reinventing the game as a batter. You know, modern technology, the bats are very different. You can play shots that weren’t possible with the old bats. But man, he’s exciting to watch," he added.

Pant's unpredictable nature also impressed Chappell. "You never quite know what to expect from the first ball at any stage. He’s likely to jump down the wicket to the pacers, or he’ll play the falling ramp shot. You never quite know what to expect, so it keeps the opposition on their toes," he explained.

Recalling his early impressions of the left-hander, 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."

Pant's twin centuries propelled him to a career-best seventh position in the ICC Test rankings for batters. India aims to capitalize on his explosive form in the second Test. A victory would level the series for the visitors.