Former India player Aakash Chopra has applauded Rishabh Pant for scoring a stunning century in the first Test against England. He added that someone was even questioning his place in the Indian squad ahead of the series as well. However, 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.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “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.”

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“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. 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,” he again shared.

However, Aakash Chopra also stated that Rishabh Pant’s batting will always be unconventional as well.

“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. 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,” Aakash Chopra concluded.