"He is reinventing the game" - Australian legend's massive praise for Rishabh Pant after ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Australian batting legend Greg Chappell has hailed Team India's dynamic keeper-batter Rishabh Pant as someone who is reinventing the game as a batsman. Terming him as a match-winner, the former India coach pointed out that he is a great asset with the willow in Test cricket because of the pace at which he scores.

Pant slammed hundreds in both innings of the first Test against England at Headingley in Leeds, becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter in history to achieve the feat (Andy Flower was the first). The left-handed batter scored 134 off 178 in the first innings and followed it up with 118 off 140 deliveries. Despite Pant's heroics with the bat, India lost the Leeds Test by five wickets.

Speaking at a promotional event in Mumbai on Wednesday, June 25, Chappell was lavish in his praise of the Indian stumper. Reflecting on his brilliance with the willow in the Leeds Test, the former Australian captain said (via Cricbuzz):

"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."

The 76-year-old added that Pant's unpredictability as a batter forces the bowlers and fielders to continuously have their thinking caps on. He elaborated:

"You know, modern technology - the bats are very different. Obviously, you can play shots that weren't possible with the old bats. 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."

Like many other cricket experts, Chappell too compared Pant to Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist, who also batted at a brisk pace and won many matches for his side with the willow.

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Rishabh Pant holds the record for most hundreds by an Indian keeper-batter in Tests

Pant has an excellent record in Test cricket. In 44 matches, he has scored 3,200 runs at an average of 44.44 and a strike rate of 74.03, with the aid of eight hundreds and 15 half-centuries. He holds the record for having notched up most tons by an Indian keeper-batter in Tests, having surpassed his idol MS Dhoni (6).

Four of the stumper's eight Test hundreds have come in England. In 10 matches, he has scored 808 runs at an average of 42.52, with the aid of four centuries and two half-centuries.