"Someone asked whether he should even be taken to England" - Aakash Chopra lauds Rishabh Pant's century on Day 2 of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Rishabh Pant for scoring an aggressive century in the first Test against England. He disclosed that someone was even questioning the wicketkeeper-batter's place in the Indian squad ahead of the series.

Pant scored 134 runs off 178 deliveries as India posted 471 in their first innings on Day 2 of the first Test in Leeds on Saturday, June 21. England ended the day at 209/3 in their first innings, trailing the visitors by 262 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that Pant's century silenced a critic who was questioning whether the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain should be taken to England, considering his indifferent form in IPL 2025.

"Rishabh Pant has scored a century, and that too in his own style. He reached his hundred with a six, and then hit one more six. What Pant was doing against the second new ball towards the end of the first day's play, only he can do that. There should be no doubt about that," Chopra said (2:40). "There was a serious conversation during the IPL. We were on JioStar, and someone asked whether he should even be taken to England, considering his form. I said let's keep these things separate as they are two different things," he added.

The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that Pant is already the best wicketkeeper-batter in India's Test history.

"Since he was insisting a lot that the form isn't there and the bat is not striking the ball, I said that if you check India's Test history and be absolutely impartial, you would say that India haven't produced a better wicketkeeper-batter than Rishabh Pant. He is the best already," Chopra observed.

Pant added 209 runs for the fourth wicket with Shubman Gill (147 off 227) to take India to a healthy 430/3. However, the visitors lost their last seven wickets for just 41 runs to allow England back into the game.

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"You realize that he plays like this only" - Aakash Chopra on Rishabh Pant's approach in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Rishabh Pant struck 12 fours and six sixes during his 134-run knock. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Rishabh Pant's batting will always be unconventional.

"He has scored centuries in Australia, England and South Africa, and one more here, reaching it with a six, and then you realize that he plays like this only. You will always see Rishabh Pant playing like this only," he said (4:20).

The analyst added that the Indian Test vice-captain should be criticized if he is not among the runs, and not for his mode of dismissals.

"Everyone should be criticized, whether their name is Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, or something else, but criticize him (Pant) if he doesn't score runs and not for how he gets out, because his playing style is very different. Since you and I don't understand it, we ask what sort of approach it is," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra highlighted that criticism cannot be result-oriented. He added that the critics end up eating humble pie if they criticize Pant's methods and the southpaw scores runs with the same approach.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer