Greg Chappell: Rishabh Pant is Revolutionizing Cricket with Unorthodox Batting

Former India coach Greg Chappell believes Rishabh Pant is revolutionizing cricket with his unconventional and aggressive batting style. He lauded Pant as a "match-winner" who nearly influenced the outcome of the Headingley Test.

Rishabh Pant's centuries in both innings at Headingley showcased his game-changing potential. © AFP

Despite India's defeat in the Headingley Test, Pant's outstanding performance, including scoring centuries in both innings, highlighted his ability to alter the course of a game.

Chappell emphasized the significance of Pant's rapid scoring rate, stating, "The beauty of it (Pant's batting) is that he gets his runs at a very fast rate, which gives you time to win cricket matches." 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."

Pant's remarkable achievement made him only the second wicketkeeper-batter, following 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 noted the influence of modern technology and bat innovation, allowing players to execute shots previously deemed impossible. He described Pant as an exciting player to watch, whose unpredictable approach keeps the opposition on edge. "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."

Chappell, considered one of Australia's greatest batters post-Don Bradman era, drew comparisons between Pant and another legendary wicketkeeper, Adam Gilchrist.

"What an exciting cricketer, what a player to have on your team," Chappell exclaimed. "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: A Promising Start

Chappell also shared his thoughts on Shubman Gill's debut as captain, noting that he believed Gill had a good Test as a skipper and will only improve with time. "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."

He added, "So he will have learned a lot from that... He will only get better and better as a captain... but I think he made a very good start as captain."