"Reminded Me Of Adam Gilchrist": Ex-India Coach's Massive Praise For Rishabh Pant
"When I first saw him, he reminded me of Adam Gilchrist...a different sort of player, of course, but...the difference it can make to a team when a wicketkeeper can bat at that level and to score runs quickly," Chappell said during a promotional event organised by str8bat here on Wednesday.
"The beauty is Rishabh gets runs at a very fast rate which gives you time to win cricket matches. His was a phenomenal performance. Some of the shots he played weren't in the MCC playing manual." "He is really reinventing the game as a batsman. With modern technology, the bats are very different and you can play shots which weren't possible with the old bats. He's exciting to watch," Chappell added.
The former Australia captain said one can never know what Pant can come up with on the cricket field.
"You never quite know what to expect from him from the first ball. At any stage he is likely to jump down the wicket to the fast bowlers or play the falling ramp shot," he said.
"You never quite know what to expect. It keeps the opposition on their toes. He is a match winner (and he) very nearly made the difference in that game," Chappell added.
Chappell reckoned Shubman Gill had a good start as the Indian Test captain even though the result in the opening Test of the five-match series did not go his way.
"It was a terrific Test match. Sadly, India didn't finish on the correct side of the ledger. There were a lot of good things for them," Chappell said.
"Shubman Gill had a great start as a captain and as a player even if they did not get the result. Conditions were probably better on the last day than they were at any other stage of the Test match." "Both Gill and the Indian think tank would have learned a lot on what to take forward. Gill will only get better and better. I think his start was pretty good. Had the team taken more catches and the tail wagged a bit, the results could have been very different," he continued.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
17 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Gambhir was done with India's stale approach after Australia debacle, pulled up Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and…: Report
How drastically have things changed in six months? Almost the same bunch of Indian batters, who struggled big time in Australia, enjoyed a record-breaking outing in England. From the low of Down Under to the remarkable high in the UK, this Indian team was pretty much unrecognisable throughout the 25 days of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Shubman Gill's 754 runs, Rishabh Pant's 479, KL Rahul's 532 and Ravindra Jadeja's 516. All this looked nothing less than a distant dream when the Indian team, battered and bruised, returned after losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3. Barring two senior players – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – the squad was more or less the same. Yes, the ball and conditions were different, but playing against the Dukes ball in England is way more challenging than facing the Kookaburra in Australia. Gautam Gambhir knew he had to shake things up, especially with Shubman Gill(AFP) What changed was the approach, led by none other than Gautam Gambhir. The Indian head coach, who had witnessed the destruction of Indian batting, ensured that the old practices were abandoned and replaced by newer, more productive, trustworthy tactics. A report in The Indian Express claims that Gambhir led this wave of change, which brought out the best in batters, especially the captain and the vice-captain of this team. Also Read: Indian dressing room turned to Lord Shiva, listened to 16th-century Stuti in Oval Test when mood dipped; result followed Rishabh Pant enjoyed a career-defining series in Australia during the 2020-21 tour. The two Tests in Sydney and Brisbane quite easily fast-tracked him on the path to greatness that he is on now. Hence, when India reached the Australian shores, hoping to preserve the BGT for at least a couple more years, plenty was expected of him. However, the returns were underwhelming with just 255 runs at an average of 28.33, a huge letdown. Similarly, Shubman Gill felt the heat too. Despite showing promise in Australia, all he managed while batting at No. 3 was 93 runs from three Tests. How Gautam Gambhir shook things up Gambhir's message to both was clear: spend more time at the crease. Previously, the common theme for the batters was to 'show intent' and keep moving. But with Gambhir, the idea was to be patient, bide time, and let the runs come to you rather than the other way around. The clear shift in focus yielded fruitful dividends. Both Gill and Pant were keen to play the waiting game. Gill, believed to be a lot more old-school in that regard, jelled into it well. As for Pant, the vice-captain, sensing the need of the hour, too, was willing to adapt. Of course, Pant gets these pangs of rush blood, but when the visuals of him speaking to himself after nearly throwing his wicket went viral, one could understand how seriously he started to cherish his wicket. The Indian Express also reported that Sitanshu Kotak's addition helped implement calm inside the dressing room. During India's practice sessions, both Gambhir and Kotak would carefully pay attention to all batters, be at their ears, and make them understand the virtue of patience whenever they sensed urgency creeping into the batters' minds. Jadeja and Rahul, the other two veterans, benefitted equally. Both had shown promise in Australia, but couldn't get the big scores. In England, Rahul endured the grind at the top, seeing off the new ball, whereas Jadeja did the same in the lower middle order. That he almost saw India through at Lord's was one of the best examples of batting with the tail Indian cricket has ever seen. A few things here and there, and India could have achieved what they haven't been able to since 2007.
India Today
17 minutes ago
- India Today
Harbhajan Singh slams BCCI over India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash: Nation above cricket
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has strongly opposed India playing Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, saying there is no place for cricket between the two nations. Tensions continue to prevail between the neighbours in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, earlier this year in former spinner himself was part of the World Championship of Legends, an exhibition tournament which had both India and the Pakistan team. However, the Indian team decided to boycott both its games in the tournament, citing the ongoing tensions between the two comments come on the backdrop of the Asia Cup fixture between the two teams, where they can potentially play each other upto three times. The arch-rivals are set to meet in Dubai on 14 September in a group-stage clash. Singh feels it is wrong to share the field with Pakistan when soldiers are risking their lives to protect the country, insisting that national interest must come before any sporting contest. 'They need to understand what is important and what is not. This is as simple as that. For me, the soldier who stands on the border, whose family often doesn't get to see him, who sometimes sacrifices his life and never returns home, their sacrifice is so immense for all of us. Compared to that, this is a very small thing, that we can't skip playing one cricket match. It's a very small matter,' Harbhajan told the Times of former spinner even referred to the government's position on the issue, stating that the Indian government has been very clear on cutting ties with Pakistan till cross-border terrorism one of India's best ever spinners, stressed that no individual should be placed above the country. In the recent World Championship of Legends (WCL) tournament, the India Champions skipped their group match against Pakistan after several players, including Shikhar Dhawan and Harbhajan Singh, pulled out of the game.'Our government has the same stance, blood and sweat cannot co-exist. It cannot be the case that there's fighting on the border, tensions between the two nations, and we go to play cricket. Until these big issues are resolved, cricket is a very small matter. The nation always comes first,' he were due to meet Pakistan again in the semi-final on 31 July at Edgbaston, but the day before, the team's sponsor, EaseMyTrip, withdrew, saying, 'terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand.''Whatever our identity is, it's because of this country. Whether you are a player, an actor, or anyone else, no one is bigger than the nation. The country comes first, and the duties we owe to it must be fulfilled. Not playing a cricket match is nothing compared to the importance of the nation,' he it was finalised that India and Pakistan will lock horns again in the semi-finals, the Indian players stood firm in their stance and did not play, allowing Pakistan to advance to the final, where they were hammered by South Africa who won by nine wickets.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
22 minutes ago
- Time of India
Duleep trophy: Akash Deep ruled out, Mukhtar Hussain called up as replacement in East Zone
India's Akash Deep (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) According to PTI, Indian Test cricketer Akash Deep has been ruled out of the upcoming Duleep Trophy tournament for East Zone, with Assam pacer Mukhtar Hussain named as his replacement. The Bengal fast bowler, who recently participated in India's drawn Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against England, showed signs of discomfort during the matches and will now miss the start of the domestic season. Mukhtar Hussain, who will step in for Akash Deep, brings considerable experience to the East Zone squad. The 26-year-old Assam pacer has claimed 132 wickets in 40 first-class matches at an average of 28.2. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The exact reason for Akash Deep's absence remains undisclosed, though it may be related to potential fitness concerns following the demanding Test series against England. During that series, Akash Deep had delivered a memorable performance at Edgbaston, securing a 10-wicket haul that proved crucial in India's victory. However, his form appeared to decline in subsequent matches, where he managed to take only three wickets. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dwarka's New Hotspot: Excellent Investment Opportunity Omaxe state Learn More Undo During the Oval Test, there were indications of potential fitness issues when teammate Gill was overheard asking about his injection. Despite his bowling struggles, Akash Deep contributed significantly with the bat at the Oval, scoring 66 runs as a nightwatchman, which helped India secure another victory in the series. Poll How do you rate the East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy? Excellent Good Average The East Zone team, set to be captained by Ishan Kishan with Abhimanyu Easwaran as vice-captain, includes players like Riyan Parag , Mohammed Shami, and Mukesh Kumar. The complete squad consists of fifteen players with five standby players. Duleep Trophy Schedule: Quarterfinal 1: August 28-31, 2025: North Zone vs East Zone Quarterfinal 2: August 28-31, 2025: Central Zone vs NorthEast Zone Semifinal 1: September 4-7, 2025: South Zone vs Winner QF1 Semifinal 2: September 4-7, 2025: North Zone vs Winner QF2 Final: September 11-15, 2025: Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2 The full East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2025 comprises Ishan Kishan (captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vice-captain), Sandeep Patnaik, Virat Singh, Denish Das, Sridam Paul, Sharandeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Riyan Parag, Utkarsh Singh, Manishi, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Mukhtar Hussain, and Mohammed Shami. Aasirwad Swain, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Swastik Samal, Sudip Kr Gharami, and Rahul Singh are standby players. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
