Team India’s victory against Australia in the Brisbane Test during the 2020/21 tour remains etched in history. The side produced an incredible performance despite various injury-related absences to first-team players to breach ‘fortress’ Gabba, defeating the Aussies at the venue for the first time since 1989 in the longest format of the game.
Rishabh Pant was one of the star performers from the Test, as he smashed a brilliant unbeaten 89 in the 328-run chase, eventually hitting the winning runs to script history for the side. The young Indian wicketkeeper-batter, in his characteristic aggressive style, smashed the ball all around the ground, and didn’t hesitate to take on star bowlers like Nathan Lyon despite the spinner’s threatening deliveries.
Former India batting coach Vikram Rathour has now revealed that Pant’s attacking approach agitated then-head coach Ravi Shastri in the dressing room, and on many occasions, he wanted someone from the team to tell Pant to stay calm.
“There were a lot of times when Pant was batting that Ravi wanted to send a message out, but nobody was going in [to the room]. Nobody was saying anything to Pant. I walked out because there was so much talk from Ravi. “Tell him something!” Rathour told The Cricket Monthly.
Rohit’s reply
Rathour revealed that after he walked out of the dressing room, he approached stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma, who were sitting in the dugout. He wanted to confirm whether Pant should be sent a message on his batting approach. However, before Rahane could speak, Rohit insisted that the wicketkeeper-batter should be left on his own.
“I went out to the dugout and saw Rohit and Ajinkya sitting together. I said, ‘Jinks, do you want to send any message to Pant?’ And Rohit said, ‘Don’t say anything to him, paaji. Let him bat. He’s not going to listen to whatever we say’,” said Rathour.
Earlier in the run-chase, Shubman Gill also scored a solid 91, while Cheteshwar Pujara took various body blows to score 56 off 211 deliveries.
