Chopra likens Rishabh Pant to Gilchrist as the Indian smashes fiery 100 in warm-up game

With Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant getting his groove back just before the first Test against Australia, former cricketer Aakash Chopra has heaped praise on the young gun for his heroics. The cricketer-turned-commentator likened Pant to veteran Australian batsman Adam Gilchrist adding that the youngster has the quality to 'destroy the opposition'. Pant smashed a fiery 73-ball 103 in the warm-up game against Australia A which ended in a draw. His spectacular century included a terrific last over play where he scored 22 runs to reach his hundred. Pant's knock comprised of 9 fours and 6 sixes and he paced his innings at a strike rate of 141.10. 

“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.

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“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.

The Day 2 of the practice game saw Indian batsmen torment the Aussies as all of them except Shaw and skipper Rahane, scored above 50. Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill notched up precious half-centuries whereas Hanuma Vihari partnered with Rishabh Pant to bring up their individual centuries. India now leads by 472 runs at the end of play on Day 2. 

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Bumrah notches up 50

On the first day which witnessed the falling of 20 wickets, India's Jasprit Bumrah notched up his maiden first-class half-century. At 123-9, India’s speed veteran Jasprit Bumrah was joined at the crease by fellow pacer and No.11 batsman Mohammed Siraj. Interestingly, the two cricketers defied all statistical odds and extended India’s total to 194 with their 71-run 10th wicket stand. Bumrah himself scored 55 runs from just 57 balls to notch up his maiden first-class fifty. However, centuries from Ben McDermott and Jack Wildermuth and a half-century from Alex Carey ensured that Australia ends the game with a draw. 

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India look to snap Australia's winning streak 

The odds are against India heading into the Adelaide Test and they will need to play out of their skins in order to come out on top and rewrite history. Kohli & Co. have their task cut out come December 17 as the Aussies have not lost a single D/N Test match ever since their first contest against New Zealand back in November 2015. The top-ranked Test side have since gone on to win all the five matches that have been played under lights at home. 

However, the Men in Blue will miss their skipper Virat Kohli after the first test as he is set to fly back home for the birth of his first child. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (26-30 December) will host the Boxing Day Test, before the action moves to the Sydney Cricket Ground (7-11 January) and the Gabba (15-19 January). As per reports, Rohit Sharma has been deemed fit and will be set to appear in the last two tests.

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