Rishabh Pant has come under criticism for the risks he has taken during this Border-Gavaskar Trophy, risks that have left him with scores of 37, 1, 21, 28, 9, 28, 30. Perception from both outside the Indian team, and inside it, is that he doesn't rein in his natural game when he needs to.
Pant showed he could bat differently in Sydney where Australia's discipline on a pitch with seam movement and bounce resulted in him taking body blow after body blow in an innings where he faced 98 balls and hit only four of them to the boundary. He came in to bat just as India lost a little bit of their advantage, losing a wicket the last ball before lunch, to become 57 for 2 after 25 overs.
Pant took them to tea for the loss of one more wicket, batting in a way he normally doesn't. India were 107 for 4 after 50 overs.
"I think in this innings I was not in a frame of mind where I wanted to take charge of the game because the wicket was doing too much," he said. "And the kind of situation we were in and while playing inside I felt like I could do like play a little bit of defensive cricket yes there is a time to attack but when you have to feel that from inside. I can't just pre-meditate that I'm going to play this way whatever the game asked me to do on that given day that's what I try to do and that was the mindset."
Following the defeat in Melbourne, Gautam Gambhir, the India coach, had communicated the need for a team-first approach where all the players need to decide whether their natural game would help their cause or hinder it. Four days ago, Rohit Sharma had placed the onus on Pant to figure out what was best for both himself and the team.
"I think it's a little bit not very difficult," Pant said as he spoke about prioritising survival over strokeplay. "Yes, initial part would be very difficult because when you see a ball which you can hit but sometimes you have to play more sensible cricket, I would say. Like there might be 50-50 chance which I could have taken early on in this innings but sometimes you have to play more secure cricket especially the way [SCG] wicket was behaving we knew that if we get one more wicket here we might lose two-three in a quick succession so that was the idea behind the way I was playing and last match there was nothing much to do the kind of target we had I think I had to play that [defensively] way so I think pretty fine with the way I'm playing.
Pant is in no mood to sacrifice his gifts entirely. "I think mostly you want to back whatever the way you have played game but eventually you gotta keep on evolving. There is, I feel, there is not one way to play cricket but whatever comes more naturally is always better but you've got to find that balance between playing aggressive cricket and having that balance when you play all those shots and that's what I'm trying to do.
"Just trying to make most out of whatever the way I'm playing and just keep it simple not to overthink because you know when you're not having best of the tours you might overthink too much but I just try to keep it simple and give my 200% on the field and that's the idea about playing cricket for me."
Rohit decision was a management call - Pant
India went into the Sydney Test with their captain Rohit sitting out after a prolonged spell of bad form, alongside poor results. "I think definitely it was an emotional decision," Pant said, "Because he's been captain for a long time we see him as a leader of the team but I think there are some decisions which you are not involved with and it's a very management call so I was not part of that conversation so can't explain anything other than that."
Bumrah who took over in Rohit's stead had a simple message for India. "I think mostly the message is like be positive all the time don't think what has already happened just give your best on the field," Pant said, "And that's what you want from your captain like being in a positive frame of mind and keep moving the game forward each and every day."
India felt they ended up on the wrong side of a DRS call, when an on-field decision of not-out was overturned in the last session and Washington Sundar was eventually adjudged caught behind. There was a murmur on Snicko as ball passed the glove. Umpire Joel Wilson took that as confirmation of contact. In the previous Test, Yashasvi Jaiswal was caught behind and there he definitely hit the ball but Snicko did not corroborate that evidence. Pant felt technology needed to get better.
"I think there is not much to say because technology is one part which as a cricketer you can't control," Pant said, "But I feel whatever decision we make on the field it has to stay with the on-field umpire that's the only thing until unless it's so conclusive to change the decision I think we should stay with on-field umpire rest is umpire's decision end of the day I can't challenge that every day but technology can be a little better I guess."