Rishabh Pant's Chennai Test ton better than iconic Gabba innings? Batter's coach drops bombshell

Rishabh Pant made a terrific return to Test cricket with a magnificent hundred over Bangladesh in Chennai. It was Pant's first international hundred since his return to international cricket after his life-threatening accident in December 2022.

Pant's knock received plenty of appreciation from the cricketing world and his childhood coach Devendra Sharma was equally pleased with his knock. Devendra called Rishabh's innings "flawless" and even compared it to the one he played at the Gabba during India's tour of Australia during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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Devendra Sharma rates Rishabh Pant's knock at Chennai "invaluable"

After Rishabh Pant's century, Devendra Sharma spoke to PTI and expressed his joy. He revealed that he was sad after Pant's dismissal in the first innings but was relieved that he scored a hundred in the second innings.

“Obviously I am very happy for Rishabh (Pant). In fact, he could have got a hundred in the first innings also and I was a bit sad that he didn’t get that. But today he was flawless,” Devendra Sharma said to PTI.

Devendra lauded Pant for his knock and reckoned that it would boost his confidence ahead of a long Test season.

“This hundred is an important innings for him as it’s his first international ton since comeback. It will be a tremendous confidence booster for him going ahead into the big Test match season,” he said.

Pant had a great Test match in Chennai as he scored 39 off 52 balls in the first innings. He played an even better knock in the second innings and scored 109 off 128 balls to announce his Test return. Despite playing a Test match after a long time, he never looked uncomfortable at the crease.

After the series against Bangladesh, India will play a three-match Test series against New Zealand before traveling to Australia for a five-match Test series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024. Rishabh Pant will be crucial in these Tests as he has the ability to change the game single-handedly.

Devendra Sharma compares Rishabh Pant's Chennai knock with Gabba

Devendra Sharma further compared this knock with the one Pant played in the Gabba. He termed this knock invaluable and repeated the importance of a Test hundred.

“The series-winning knock at the Gabba will forever be special for everyone but if as a coach I am asked about this knock, it is invaluable and couldn’t have come at a more opportune time,” Devendra stated.

“Every player needs that confidence and irrespective of all your heady achievements in white ball cricket, it is your Test match exploits that you are remembered for,” he added.

Pant scored a valuable 89* to take India to a famous win at Gabba during India's 2020-21 tour of Australia. His knock is still regarded as one of the best played by an Indian in overseas Tests. India went on to beat Australia 2-1 in that Test series.

It was India's second successive Test series win in Australia and Rishabh Pant had played a big part in it. The upcoming tour of Australia will be equally important and India will hope Rishabh Pant to be in prime form for that series.