Rishabh Pant's "Revolutionary" Cricket Redefining the Game, Says Greg Chappell

Rishabh Pant is not just playing cricket; he's revolutionizing it. According to Greg Chappell, the young Indian wicketkeeper-batter is redefining the game with his unconventional and match-winning approach.

India may have lost the Headingley Test, but Pant's brilliance shone through as he scored centuries in both innings © AFP

Chappell emphasized Pant's impact, stating, "...and he's a match-winner," further adding that he "very nearly made the difference in that game (at Headingley)."

Although India faced defeat in the Headingley Test, Pant's remarkable performance stood out. His centuries in both innings underscored his ability to change the game's dynamic.

Chappell lauded Pant's batting, saying, "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. 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 achievement of becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter, after Andy Flower, to score a century in each innings of a Test match, solidifies his place in cricket history.

Chappell highlighted the influence of modern technology and bats on Pant's game, acknowledging that they enable shots previously impossible. He also noted, "But man, he's exciting to watch. 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 stated, "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."

Gill's Promising Start as Captain

Chappell also commented on Shubman Gill's captaincy debut, expressing that he "had a good Test as a skipper and will only get better." Despite the unfavorable result for India, Chappell highlighted the positives, saying, "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. 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."