Rishabh Pant's Blistering Centuries Draw Adam Gilchrist Comparisons, But Spark Coaching Manual Debate

Former India coach Greg Chappell has showered praise on Rishabh Pant following the wicketkeeper-batter's remarkable twin centuries at Headingley. Chappell lauded him as a game-changer, drawing parallels between his impact and that of Australian legend Adam Gilchrist.

Pant, now the Test vice-captain for India, achieved a rare feat by becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter, after Zimbabwe's Andy Flower, to score a century in each innings of a Test match. Despite India's five-wicket defeat to England on Day 5 of the series opener at Headingley, Pant's aggressive batting was a major highlight.

Chappell remarked on Pant's rapid scoring rate. "The beauty of it is that he gets his runs at a very fast rate, which gives you time to win cricket matches. 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 stated at a Mumbai event.

Chappell believes Pant's fearless approach is revolutionizing Test batting, maximizing the benefits 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 unpredictability at the crease 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 initial assessment of Pant, Chappell stated, "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 will aim to capitalize on his explosive form in the second Test, scheduled to begin on July 2nd, with the goal of leveling the series.