Pant was angry. He said 'if Pujara hadn't reminded me I was on 97, I would've scored my 100': Rahane on India's SCG epic

Rishabh Pant has played several memorable innings, but his knock of 97 in Sydney against Australia during the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy will remain one of his finest.

Rishabh Pant has played several memorable innings, but his knock of 97 in Sydney against Australia during the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy will remain one of his finest. With India battling to save the match at the SCG, Pant counter-attacked, and suddenly, from drawing the Test, gave India a big hope of going for a win. The match ended up being a draw with a bruised R Ashwin and injured Hanuma Vihari putting on a partnership for the ages but it wouldn't have been possible without Pant's epic.

Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara during their 148-run partnership in the SG Test 2021. (Getty)

Pant and Pujara had added 148 runs for the fourth wicket to put India's chase on track before Australia sneaked in. Pant missed his century by three runs as he edged Nathan Lyon to point. But this lapse in concentration as the India wicketkeeper pointed out was caused due to his partner at the other end Cheteshwar Pujara. 

"…'Rishabh… see for a while, try to stick. You can work in singles, doubles too. You don’t have to hit a boundary'. I got a little angry that they put me in this double-minded state. Because I like it when I'm very clear in my plans that this is what I want to do. We had built such a good momentum. In my mind the only thing at that time was 'damn, what just happened?' Because if I reached 100 there, it would have been one of my best," Pant said in the docu series 'Bandon Mein Tha Dum' streaming on VOOT.

Ajinkya Rahane, who was India's captain in that Test, touched on the topic, explaining how Pant was not happy when he returned to the change room as he felt that had he been allowed to do what he was doing, the century was there for the taking.

'Pujara from the other end was telling him to slow down. We can score runs later. When any experienced player comes and tells you, 'Now wait, you're on 97 and you're playing well, but now if you play a little sensibly you can make your 100. He was backing his game but unfortunately, he got out," said Rahane in the same documentary.

"When he came in, he was disappointed and angry and he said, 'Pujara bhai came and reminded me that I was on 97. I wasn't even aware. Had he not said anything, I would have probably completed by hundred."