"Leave Rishabh Pant alone, and he will give you those performances" - Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma has backed Rishabh Pant to do well in the upcoming T20I series against England, and he did so in his own cheeky way.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Rohit Sharma was asked how he and the team management can help Rishabh Pant translate his brilliant form in Test matches to white-ball cricket.
Rohit Sharma responded that the team management has given him a free hand to play his natural game. He also asked the media persons, albeit jovially, to do the same and not put him under any pressure to perform.
"He (Rishabh Pant) has performed really well, and I don't see anything stopping him unless we try and put pressure on him. We, as in, you guys (the media), I think it's important for him to let him be himself. He likes to enjoy his game. You must have seen it on the ground, how he likes to play his game. And that is what we as team management and teammates expect from him too: to just be out there, enjoy the game, and do what he likes to do," said Rohit Sharma.
Rishabh Pant has had a dream-run in Test cricket in the last few months. The pugnacious left-hander was instrumental in India's historic series win in Australia. He backed that up with a match-winning hundred in the fourth Test against England in Ahemdabad, which helped India wrap up the series 3-1.
This string of imperious performances has earned him a comeback to the T20I team after more than a year. Rohit Sharma exuded confidence that Rishabh Pant will only get better from here on and will go 'strength to strength'.
"I think if we let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant, he will come out and give you those performances. I have said this in the past many times: 'leave Rishabh Pant alone, and he will give you those performances'. He can really go from strength to strength from here. There's no looking back for him. He has done exceptionally well in the last few months, from Australia to the home series we played just now against England," said Rohit Sharma.
While reiterating that the team management is ready to allow Rishabh Pant his space to perform, Rohit Sharma asked the media if they were also prepared to do the same.
"This is another series from him that will take his confidence a notch higher if he keeps performing in the same manner, and we let him be alone. It's important for him; he needs that freedom. As team management, we are prepared to do that. I am going to ask you the same question, are you prepared to do the same?," said Rohit Sharma.
Rishabh Pant has featured in 27 T20Is for India, scoring 410 runs at an average of 20.5 and a strike rate of 122.02.
Rishabh Pant has started to understand the game situations better: Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma also commended Rishabh Pant for the improvement in his approach while constructing his innings.
In the early stage of his international career, Rishabh Pant was heavily criticised for his poor shot-selection. Sharma, however, feels the 23-year-old has ironed out those issues and now plays more prudently.
"The good thing about his game right now, what I feel, is he's starting to understand the game situations, which is good. For someone like him to understand the situation and play according to that is something he can tick off from his personal box. He has looked good in whatever he has done, whether we talk about his keeping, his approach, or his batting," concluded Sharma.
The first T20I of the 5-match series between India and England starts on Friday, March 12, in Ahmedabad. Rishabh Pant is expected to feature and provide some much-needed firepower in the middle order.