Greg Chappell: Rishabh Pant is Revolutionizing Cricket with Unorthodox Play OR Rishabh Pant's Game-Changing Cricket Redefinition, According to Greg Chappell OR Ex-India Coach Chappell: Rishabh Pant is Reinventing Cricket for the Modern Era

Rishabh Pant is not just playing cricket; he's revolutionizing it. According to former India coach Greg Chappell, Pant's unconventional batting approach is redefining the sport. Chappell emphasized Pant's match-winning capabilities, highlighting his near game-changing performance at Headingley.

Rishabh Pant celebrates a century at Headingley © AFP

Despite India's loss in the Headingley Test, Pant's brilliance shone brightly. He achieved a remarkable feat by scoring centuries in both innings, underscoring his ability to single-handedly alter the course of a game.

Chappell lauded Pant's rapid scoring rate, noting that it provides teams with the time needed to secure victories. "His was a phenomenal performance," Chappell stated. "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 historic achievement includes becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter, following Andy Flower, to score a century in each innings of a Test match.

Chappell also pointed out the influence of modern technology and bat design, enabling shots previously unimaginable. However, he emphasized Pant's unique excitement factor. "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," Chappell said at a promotional event in Mumbai.

Drawing comparisons to another iconic wicketkeeper, Chappell, considered one of Australia's finest batters post-Don Bradman, likened Pant to Adam Gilchrist.

"What an exciting cricketer, what a player to have on your team," he said. "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 Captaincy Debut

Chappell also shared his thoughts on Shubman Gill's performance as captain, suggesting that he demonstrated promising leadership skills and is poised for further improvement. "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 continued, "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."