Rishabh Pant provides no clue behind Rohit Sharma "opting out" of Sydney Test

Rishabh Pant addressed the press after the conclusion of Day 1 of the Sydney Test, the final Border Gavaskar Trophy fixture. The Test opened with a significant shock as Jasprit Bumrah came out at the toss. The updates that emerged a day earlier about Rohit Sharma "dropping out" of the crucial contest turned out to be true. Bumrah, at the toss, informed that the Indian skipper was seeking 'rest', thus giving the match a miss. However, no further explanation was provided regarding Sharma's absence, neither from the BCCI nor from any of the players. Rishabh Pant also failed to delve deeper into the incident as he highlighted the limits of any player's involvement in the decisions made by the management.

"Can't explain...": Rishabh Pant reflects on Rohit Sharma missing the Sydney Test

Rohit Sharma met an anticipated fate when he missed out on the Sydney Test. Though officially, the skipper has "opted out", the chatter suggests that he has been sacked from the side following his disappointing performance in the BGT. The rumble started a day ahead of the Sydney Test, as a report suggested the return of Shubman Gill in the Playing XI. The rumors turned true when Bumrah, who led India to victory in the Perth Test, arrived at the toss in Sydney.

Despite Rohit's exit, India's batting woes remained the same as the top-order faltered. Virat Kohli fell to his vice once again, as he nicked an outside-off delivery from Scott Boland. With Australia bundling their batting innings well within 73 overs, India managed just 185 runs. Rishabh Pant came up with the sole notable knock as he endured several body blows to score a gritty 40. Day 1 of the Sydney Test was filled with many significant moments, from Gill's dismissal to constant Aussie sledging to Jasprit Bumrah charging up to Sam Konstas. However, the focus remained on the abrupt exit of Rohit Sharma from the proceedings.

Rishabh Pant, in his interaction with the media, expressed the emotional weight of the decision. The wicketkeeper-batter explained that the group still sees Sharma as the leader. Thus, when the news of Sharma's exclusion from the Sydney Test arrived, it was heavy information to take. However, Pant refused to provide any insights into the events leading up to the decision. The batter put the management at the center, expressing that not all players are involved or informed of some calls that the management makes.

"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," he added.