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Rishabh Pant vs Adam Gilchrist: Is The Indian Star Better Than The Aussie Legend After 34 Tests?

Rishabh Pant and Adam Gilchrist [X]Rishabh Pant and Adam Gilchrist [X]

India and Bangladesh are facing off in the first of the two-match Test series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Powered by brilliant batting shows from Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill in the second innings, India set a mammoth target of 516 runs for Bangladesh. The visitors will resume Day 4 at 158/4 and look to put up a fight against the home team. 

Speaking about the Indian batting in the second innings, Shubman Gill scored a brilliant hundred and remained unbeaten on 119 off 176 deliveries. His partnership with Rishabh Pant of 167 runs put India in a position of strength in the game. While Gill played a composed knock, Rishabh Pant was the aggressor in the partnership. His runs in the innings came at a strike rate of 85.16. 

This is not the first time that Rishabh Pant has played an aggressive knock in a Test match, putting India in an advantageous position. He has done it many times before, a memorable occasion being his inspirational match-winning knock against Australia at the Gabba Test in 2021. 

Rishabh Pant's impact on Indian batting has often led fans to compare him to one of the greatest wicketkeeper-batters to have ever graced the game, the Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist. 

Before moving on to any kind of comparison, let us examine why even the comparison is being made.

Rishabh Pant vs Adam Gilchrist - Similiarities

  • Batting Order - Rishabh Pant and Adam Gilchrist bat in the lower middle order. While Pant has played most of his Test knocks at number six or seven, Gilchrist played 100 of his 137 Test Innings at number seven. The fact that the batting positions of both of them are similar compels the fan to compare them. 
  • Batting Hand - The second point that compels the fans to compare these two keeper batters is that they are both left-handed. 
  • Batting Approach - Adam Gilchrist was known for his aggressive batting style. On many occasions, Gilchrist, batting at number seven, took the game out of the opposition's hand with his aggressive style of batting. Rishabh Pant's approach is similar. He, too, looks to be aggressive and play with the bowler's mentality, his counter-attacking brand of cricket. 

Now let us look at where they stand in comparison to each other after 34 Tests.

Rishabh Pant vs Adam Gilchrist - Performance comparison after 34 Tests

Player
Innings
Runs
Average
SR
50s/100s
Adam Gilchrist48
2,28258.5180.4012/6
Rishabh Pant582,419
44.8074.1011/6

Conclusion - 

  • While Rishabh Pant has excellent numbers in these 34 Tests, Adam Gilchrist was far more consistent than him at a similar stage in his career. 
  • The strike rate of the two batters suggests that their approach to batting is identical. But Adam Gilchrist, having played even more than a decade and a half ago, possessed a strike rate more than Pant, which shows the Aussie legend's impact. 

Rishabh Pant vs Adam Gilchrist: Who is better after 34 Tests?

Rishabh Pant still at the start of his carrier, has significantly impacted Indian batting. His aggressive approach adds extra spice to the team's batting. However, compared to Adam Gilchrist at the same stage of their career, one has to accept that Pant has not yet reached the same level. In the coming years, he might have a greater impact on the Indian batting line-up and take over the legacy of the Australian legend, but after 34 Test matches, Gilchrist is ahead of Pant.