Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill in Chennai© BCCI/Sportzpics
Riding on centuries from Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill, the Indian team put 287 runs on the board before skipper Rohit Sharma announced the decision to declare the innings on Day 3 of the third Test against Bangladesh. India had a lead of 515 runs when Rohit declared the innings, highlighting his confidence in defending the total despite more than 2 days being left in the Test. When Rohit declared the innings, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul were batting for 119 and 22 respectively.
Some fans even wondered if Rohit should've given Rahul more time in the middle, considering his recent poor form. However, after the match Rishabh Pant explained that Rohit had conveyed his declaration plan an hour in advance, when Pant and Gill were batting together.
"When we came for lunch, there was a discussion going on about the innings declaration. Rohit bhai told, '1 ghanta aur khelne ko dekhenge, jisko jitna run banana hai bana lo (We will bat for 1 more hour, whoever wants to score, can do so)'. So, I returned with the mindset to score runs quickly. Kya pata 150 ban jaye (Who knows if I could score a 150?)," Pant said.
— Gillfied (@Gill_era7) September 22, 2024Rishabh pant bodied all haters who trolled Rohit sharma for not giving enough time to kl Rahul at the crease
Hence, Rohit's indication about the tentative timing of the declaration was clear and had no connection with the personnel in the middle.
After the match, Rohit paid an emotional tribute to Rishabh Pant, who had made a comeback to the Indian team in Test cricket after a hiatus of more than 600 days.
"He's been through some really tough times. The way he has managed himself through those tough times was superb to watch. He came back in the IPL, followed by a very successful World Cup and this is the format he loves the most," Rohit said.
"For us, it was never about what is he going to do with the bat, we always knew what he had with the bat and with the gloves as well. It was just about giving him the game time. Credit to him as well, he went on to play Duleep Trophy and got ready for this Test match and had an impact straightaway in the game," he added.