One of the questions to the Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, at the press conference at the end of their 184-run defeat in the fourth Test of the five-match series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 was on the two shots of their wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant, during both the first and second innings of the fixture.
In the first innings, in the morning session of the third day’s play, Pant tried a reverse scoop against Scott Boland but failed to get the full connection on the shot. On the very next ball, he repeated the same shot and caught at deep third man, where Nathan Lyon was stationed for that same shot. The Delhi-born went back to the pavilion for a score of 28 runs in 37 balls.
Rohit Sharma felt that more than he or the team management having a word with him regarding these shot selections, the best way to get it sorted will be if he understands the route to figure it out.
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“That’s tough. He needs to understand what’s required from him, more than any of us telling him, it’s him understanding and figuring out what’s the right way to go about it. In the past, he has given us so much success doing what he does.” Rohit Sharma expressed during the post-match press conference.
Rohit Sharma is not keen enough to advise Rishabh Pant to change his natural game
The Nagpur-born reckoned that as a leader of the side, it’s a mixed feeling whether to ask him to change his natural game or play in a different manner.
“As a captain, you know, there is a mixed reaction to that. Sometimes, you want to back that thought of him playing the way he plays, and sometimes, when things don’t look good. It frustrates everyone. But that’s what it is, and that’s the reality.” Rohit Sharma explained.
“There is success and failure, and there needs to be a balance in between it. And as a captain, it’s very hard to have conversations when it has given him a lot of success as well. But it’s about him figuring out what’s the right way to do things as well.” The opening batter is highlighted.
In the second innings, Pant had a very good partnership of 88 runs for the fourth wicket with Yashasvi Jaiswal as they didn’t lose any wicket in the middle session of the fifth day to increase their chance of drawing the red-ball fixture.
But it all changed as he played a lofted soft, of no necessity, against Travis Head and got caught at long-off and ended with 30 runs in 104 balls. India ended with losing their next six wickets for 34 runs in just more than 20 overs.
“It’s about the situation, certain times of the game, if there is a risk percentage, do you want to take the risk or do you want to let the opposition come back into the game? Those are the things he needs to figure out himself.” Rohit Sharma reckoned.
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The Indian captain is not directly asking him to change the approach but feels that the left-handed batter could be needed to keep an eye on the situation of the team and the game.
“See I have known Rishabh for a long time, and I understand his cricket as well. We had lots of conversations in the past. In terms of conversations, I can’t say we didn’t have a chat on it or it’s not that he doesn’t understand what the team expects, he knows that. But the things he does, give him results as well. So, it’s the fine line between telling him not to do or doing those things.” Rohit Sharma concluded.