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Xtra Time Web Desk: Team India captain Rohit Sharma provided insight into why wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant did not take the field on Day 5 of the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand. In the post-match press conference, Rohit highlighted that Pant has endured significant trauma over the past year and a half, emphasizing that the team would prioritize his well-being due to his immense talent.

On Day 4, Pant delivered a remarkable performance, scoring 99 runs and helping India erase their deficit. This came despite a knee injury sustained on Day 2 when he was struck by the ball while wicketkeeping, necessitating his removal from the field. Pant was unable to play on Day 3 but returned to bat alongside Sarfaraz Khan, surprising everyone with his resilience.

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Rohit Sharma said that Pant did not look comfortable while running in India's second innings and tried to launch the balls into the stands. Sharma added that India thought it would be in the keeper's interest to rest and get 100 per cent fit for the Pune Test match.

"He has had a massive operation on his knee. We need to be a little careful about you know, where he's at and what he is to us. Even when he was batting, he was not comfortably running. You know, he was trying to only put the ball in the stands but again with someone like him, we just need to be extra careful, because he's had a lot of minor surgeries, and one big surgery on his knee," Rohit Sharma said about Pant's injury.

"Rishabh Pant has gone through a lot of trauma, to be honest in the last 1.5 years. So it's just about being extra careful with him. So, you know, when you're keeping, you have to bend every ball with your knee going down, and the wicket being what it was, we thought it was the right thing to do for him to stay inside and then get 100% ready for the next one," he had further added.

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On Day 2 of the Test match, Rishabh Pant was struck in the same area where he had undergone multiple surgeries. Indian captain Rohit Sharma later reported that Pant had swelling in his knee and required rest.

When asked about Pant's impressive innings that helped India recover after their first innings collapse of just 46 runs, Sharma remarked that no one could truly comprehend what was going through Pant's mind while batting. He emphasized that the team was comfortable giving Pant the freedom to play his game.

"And like I said about his innings no one knows what goes in his mind. To be honest, he decides what he wants to do. And that is the kind of freedom we want to give it to him. Because he has produced performances with that mindset. So I don't think there's anything that you need to speak to him. We spoke to him about 'please understand the situation' and stuff like that. But, you know, he wants to play in a certain way and then, you know, as a captain, as a coach, we want to back that mindset. So let him go and play freely," concluded Rohit Sharma.