'Rishabh Pant needs to understand...': Rohit Sharma after wicket-keeper throws away his wicket during MCG Test

Rohit Sharma on Rishabh Pant after wicket-keeper's performance at MCG Test. (Photo: PTI)

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma expressed that Rishabh Pant 'needs to understand what is required of him' during the post-match presser after the visitors were thrashed by Australia in the fourth Test of the ongoing Border Gavaskar-Trophy. Pant's dismissal off a half-tracker was followed by a batting collapse which resulted in Australia winning the MCG Test by 184 runs taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Pant's poorly timed lap shot in the first innings and reckless slog in the second came at pivotal moments, giving Australia a significant advantage. His first-innings dismissal even drew sharp criticism from Sunil Gavaskar, who exclaimed "stupid, stupid, and stupid" during the live broadcast.

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However, even in one of the most toughest times, Rohit was unintentionally funny when asked about Pant's dismissals.

"Today? Or the day before?," he asked at first.

"There hasn't been any discussion about today. Obviously, you know, we lost the game. Everybody is disappointed about how things actually panned out. We certainly didn't think of this result. There is no doubt about that," he said, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Look Rishabh Pant, he needs to understand what is required of him. More than any one of us telling him, you know, it's about him understanding and figuring out what is the right way to go about it," Rohit added, refusing to be critical of one of his biggest match-winners.

Rohit did acknowledge Pant's high-risk and counter-attacking methods have brought great success to the team in the past but wants him to strike a balance.

"It's just about situation as well. Certain situation of the game where if there is a risk percentage, do you want to take that risk, do you want to let the opposition come back into the game, those are the things he needs to figure out himself. See I know Rishabh for a very long time and I understand his cricket as well. In the past also we have had a lot of conversation," he explained.

"In terms of conversation, there is no way I can say that I've not had a chat with him or he doesn't understand what the team expects. It's just that fine line between telling him not to do those things or telling him."

India now trail 1-2 in the five-match series with the fifth Test in Sydney starting on January 3.