Rohit Sharma backs Rishabh Pant to continue playing aggressively

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has lauded Rishabh Pant for his exceptional show in the recently concluded Test series against Sri Lanka. Pant had a fantastic series with the bat and behind the stumps as well and in the process, recorded the fastest half-century in Test cricket by an Indian batter. The left-hander brought up his fifty in just 28 balls in the second innings against Sri Lanka and went past the legendary Kapil Dev’s 40-year-old record.

Pant has shown immense improvement in his batting abilities in the last two to three years and has become an integral part of the Indian side across all three formats. He has enjoyed playing Test cricket so far with four centuries and eight half-centuries to his name already and his mode of approach on the difficult wicket in Bengaluru spoke volumes of his game-changing abilities.

We want to stick with his gameplan as a team: Rohit Sharma

Rohit mentioned that the management has given the freedom to Pant to express himself but has warned him to play shots that have been suited to certain pitches and also about the awareness of the game situation. He added the wicketkeeper-batter has shown a lot of improvement in his game plans and was ready to accept even if he fails at times considering his match-winning capabilities.

“We know how he bats and as a team, we just want to give him that freedom to bat in the way that he wants to bat. But also keep in mind certain situations of the game, where the game is going, we have conveyed that to him but we want to stick with his gameplan as a team,” Rohit told in the post-match conference.

“It just seems to get better and get better, his game-plans. There will be times when you will smash your head and say ‘why did he play that shot’ but again we need to be ready to accept that with him when he bats. He is somebody who can change the game literally in half an hour or 40 minute of the game. I think what comes with Rishabh Pant, we are ready to accept that,” he added.

Pant has played some important knocks already in Tests for the team including the famous unbeaten 89 at the Gabba that won India a historic Test series victory in Australia under Ajinkya Rahane.