'He is like Adam Gilchrist' - Aakash Chopra hails Rishabh Pant after his heroics in the warm-up game

The second innings of the three-day day-night warm-up game between India A and Australia A at Sydney Cricket Ground witnessed an explosive comeback of the young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant. Pant wasn’t at his fluent best in the pre-Covid era and IPL 2020, therefore, there were lots of questions regarding his future in the national team.

In addition, the young rookie was axed from the white-ball squads owing to his poor form and fitness concerns. However, he again announced himself on the big stage by slamming a scintillating century in the practice game against Australia A. Batting in the first innings, Rishabh lost his wicket cheaply while playing at 5. However, he redeemed himself in the second innings by hammering unbeaten 103 runs off just 73 deliveries.

Pant also stitched a crucial unbeaten 147-run partnership with Hanuma Vihari to take India towards a mammoth total of 386. With this stunning performance on Australian soil, the wicketkeeper has made a strong case to be included in India’s Playing XI in the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, starting from December 17 in Adelaide.

Rishabh Pant is like Adam Gilchrist: Aakash Chopra

Speaking about the exploits of Rishabh Pant, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra compared the youngster with the veteran Adam Gilchrist for smashing the ball all over the park towards the fag end of Day 2. Chopra believes that Pant has the ability to essay the role of a finisher for Men in Blue in the purest format of the game as he can change the game in a single session.

“The player of the day, although I wanted to keep Hanuma Vihari, I have changed it to Rishabh Pant. Because if you destroy the opposition like this at the end. This is the quality that this guy has. He is like Adam Gilchrist. Obviously, Adam Gilchrist has achieved a lot but Rishabh Pant’s story has just started. But when he plays, he reminds you of him, it feels like he can reach close to him,” Chopra said in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

“Because if he comes in the lower order and changes the game in a single session, that ability is there in Rishabh Pant. He was under a lot of pressure, he had not scored in the last innings and this was his last chance. He had not even played the first warm-up match.” he added.

Rishabh had smashed 22 runs in the last over of Day 2 to reach his century in just 73 deliveries. Showering praises on the youngster for the same, the cricket analyst asserted that the destructive Rishabh Pant is back as in the last 30 to 45 minutes he converted the seats in the stadium into fielders and made the fielders spectators.

“The last 30 to 45 minutes of the final session was completely dominated by Rishabh Pant. He made everyone aware of his amazing capabilities. The question was whether he will even attempt to score a hundred but he did that as well. He converts the seats in the stadium into fielders and made the fielders spectators. The destructive Rishabh Pant is back,” Chopra concluded.