Rishabh Pant has made limited appearances for Team India in the shortest format. While he has grown in stature in Tests and scored his maiden ODI ton during the England tour in June-July, the left-hander hasn't been able to have much success in T20Is.

During the Australia home T20Is, Pant featured in the playing XI only in&nbsp;the second and penultimate match. In the just-concluded South Africa series, the 25-year-old got a chance as India rested Hardik Pandya. After not getting an opportunity to bat in the first two T20Is versus the Proteas, Pant opened the innings for India during the final encounter in Indore on Tuesday evening (October 4). In India's pursuit of 228, the left-hander departed for a 14-ball 27 and failed to make a big score.

After another missed opportunity by Pant, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja revealed the reason behind&nbsp;the youngster's T20I struggles. He said during a discussion on Cricbuzz, "Because the Indian team has moved on to role-playing acts, and he’s not fitted into any role, that’s where he has lost out. DK played a fabulous knock. With that role-play that he is doing, it works. If he wasn’t in that role-play business and was batting at No. 4 like in the early part of his career, then, 46 on this surface, how can you throw it away?"

"He’s got a mate in DK to learn from. He can ask him, ‘Listen, what do I need to do? Is there something I am missing out on? You’ve gone through this. Show me the way.’ No matter how big a fan I am, how long will you persist with him? There is no dearth of talent, and it is just this format. So, it is something that he has to figure out," Jadeja pointed out.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-deepak-chahar-warns-tristan-stubbs-against-leaving-the-crease-in-india-sa-3rd-t20i-in-indore-522435">Watch: Deepak Chahar warns Tristan Stubbs against leaving the crease in India-SA 3rd T20I in Indore</a>

"He doesn’t have to go too far, he just has to look at his batting partner. It’s taken Karthik 15 years for the team to start believing and accepting. DK had similar talent. The team kept bringing him back. But if you don’t deliver, the team leaves you out eventually, somewhere," added Pant.

Pant-starrer India will now travel to Australia for the 2022 T20 World Cup. After playing two warm-up games, India will play their tournament-opener versus arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne. The left-hander will hope to make the most of the opportunities presented during the mega event Down Under.

Rishabh Pant has made limited appearances for Team India in the shortest format. While he has grown in stature in Tests and scored his maiden ODI ton during the England tour in June-July, the left-hander hasn't been able to have much success in T20Is.

Rishabh Pant has made limited appearances for Team India in the shortest format. While he has grown in stature in Tests and scored his maiden ODI ton during the England tour in June-July, the left-hander hasn't been able to have much success in T20Is. During the Australia home T20Is, Pant featured in the playing XI only in the second and penultimate match. In the just-concluded South Africa series, the 25-year-old got a chance as India rested Hardik Pandya. After not getting an opportunity to bat in the first two T20Is versus the Proteas, Pant opened the innings for India during the final encounter in Indore on Tuesday evening (October 4). In India's pursuit of 228, the left-hander departed for a 14-ball 27 and failed to make a big score. After another missed opportunity by Pant, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja revealed the reason behind the youngster's T20I struggles. He said during a discussion on Cricbuzz, "Because the Indian team has moved on to role-playing acts, and he’s not fitted into any role, that’s where he has lost out. DK played a fabulous knock. With that role-play that he is doing, it works. If he wasn’t in that role-play business and was batting at No. 4 like in the early part of his career, then, 46 on this surface, how can you throw it away?" "He’s got a mate in DK to learn from. He can ask him, ‘Listen, what do I need to do? Is there something I am missing out on? You’ve gone through this. Show me the way.’ No matter how big a fan I am, how long will you persist with him? There is no dearth of talent, and it is just this format. So, it is something that he has to figure out," Jadeja pointed out. ALSO READ | Watch: Deepak Chahar warns Tristan Stubbs against leaving the crease in India-SA 3rd T20I in Indore "He doesn’t have to go too far, he just has to look at his batting partner. It’s taken Karthik 15 years for the team to start believing and accepting. DK had similar talent. The team kept bringing him back. But if you don’t deliver, the team leaves you out eventually, somewhere," added Pant. Pant-starrer India will now travel to Australia for the 2022 T20 World Cup. After playing two warm-up games, India will play their tournament-opener versus arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne. The left-hander will hope to make the most of the opportunities presented during the mega event Down Under.

'He’s not fitted into any role' - Ajay Jadeja's take on Rishabh Pant's underwhelming T20I returns

Hardik Pandya`s impressive all-round show (71 runs and 4 wickets) along with Rishabh Pant's fantastic maiden century (125 not out) in the 50-over cricket guided India to a convincing five-wicket win over England in the third and final ODI and 2-1 win in the three-match series at Old Trafford, here on Sunday.

Pandya first starred with the ball before joining forces with Pant at a crucial juncture in the run chase as the two batters added 133 for the fifth wicket to set up India`s five-wicket win.

All-rounder Hardik (4/24) and leg-spinner Chahal`s (3/60) superb bowling efforts helped India bowl out England for 259 in 45.5 overs. Skipper Jos Buttler played a vital knock (60 off 80) for England, who were invited to bat first by India captain Rohit Sharma.

Apart from Buttler, Jason Roy (41), Moeen Ali (34), and Craig Overton (32) were the other main contributors with the bat for the hosts. Besides Pandya and Chahal, Mohammed Siraj (2/66), and Ravindra Jadeja (1/21) were the other wicket-takers for India.

Chasing a challenging total, India were off to a bad start as Reece Topley removed Shikhar Dhawan early. Dhawan drove a full delivery but couldn`t keep it down and Roy took the catch at backward point.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-had-rs-40-cr-in-bank-when-i-joined-and-rs-47680-cr-when-i-was-banned-claims-lalit-modi-498210" hreflang="en">BCCI had Rs 400 million in bank when I joined and Rs 476.8 billion when I was banned, claims Lalit Modi</a>

Skipper Rohit Sharma looked in fine touch before Topley dismissed him. The ball was just outside off and Rohit (17) pushed and edged behind to the lone slip fielder Joe Root.

As has been the case in recent matches, Virat Kohli looked good once again but flattered to deceive again as Topley bowled just outside off and the star batter nicked it behind again and walked back for 17, leaving India in trouble. Suryakumar Yadav scored 16 before he was sent back to the hut by Craig Overton.

India were now reeling at 72/4, needing a big partnership and they got it with Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya, who launched a brilliant counter-attack. The pair embarked on a partnership of 133 runs, which came in only 115 deliveries.

Their crucial partnership had some audacious shots, coupled with sensible defending. They found it easy to pierce the field at ease, as the England bowlers did not have any answers to their brilliance. Both Hardik and Pant brought up their half-centuries and started to up the ante, which brought Pandya`s wicket courtesy of a brilliant catch by Carse.

When Pandya got out in the 36th over of the innings, there was still a lot to be done as India needed 55 runs to win. And, Pant became even more aggressive and went on to hit his first ODI century.

The wicket-keeper batter treated the England bowlers with disdain, smashing David Willey for five fours in an over. In the end, Pant remained not out with 125 off 113 and along with Ravindra Jadeja (7 not out off 15) helped India to a thumping five-wicket victory in 42.1 overs and a 2-1 series win.

Reece Topley (3/35) was England`s most successful bowler while Brydon Carse (1/45) and Craig Overton (1/54) also chipped in with one wicket each.

Earlier, opener Jason Roy showed aggressive intent and fetched three fours right in the very first over but India struck at the other end just nine balls into the game.

Siraj, who returned to the playing XI in place of an unfit Jasprit Bumrah, made an impact straight away by getting rid of Jonny Bairstow (0), who got a leading edge while attempting to work one on the leg side and the substitute Shreyas Iyer took an easy catch.

Joe Root (0), who came to bat next, couldn`t do anything as Siraj forced him to give an easy catch to the slip fielder, leaving England in trouble at 12/2 at the end of two overs. However, unfazed by the double strike, Roy and Ben Stokes decided to counterattack and struck a flurry of boundaries. And in no time, they raced to their 50-run partnership.

With main bowlers not controlling the flow of runs, skipper Rohit Sharma introduced Hardik Pandya into the attack. The all-rounder kept denying Roy the room, which the batter usually craves and that resulted in the wicket. On a short ball, Roy got a top edge in his attempt to smash it as Rishabh Pant took the catch and India got their third wicket.

After a few overs, Pandya struck again to remove Stokes, who came down the track but couldn`t play the short ball with authority and the bowler himself took the catch, putting England in deep trouble at 74-4 after 13.2 overs.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-mohammed-siraj-dismisses-root-bairstow-on-ducks-in-double-wicket-maiden-over-against-england-498234" hreflang="en">WATCH: Siraj dismisses Root, Bairstow on ducks in 3rd ODI against England</a>

From there on, the onus was on skipper Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali to bail England out of trouble. They bided their time but eventually got into their groove, stitching a crucial partnership and putting a bit of pressure back on the Indian bowlers.

Just when it looked like their partnership was flourishing and leading England towards a decent total, Ravindra Jadeja struck in his very first over and gave India the much-needed wicket of Moeen, who edged the ball down the leg side and Pant took a brilliant catch.

However, skipper Buttler held the England innings together and hit a crucial fifty. With more than 17 overs left in the innings and England already half down, Buttler along with Liam Livingstone needed to bat deep but Pandya once again changed the course of the game in a matter of three deliveries.

In the 37th over of the innings, both Livingstone and Buttler looked to take on Pandya on the short ball but were caught brilliantly by Jadeja in the deep on both occasions. David Willey, who had scored crucial runs for England in the previous game, looked in fine touch again and was beginning to find a boundary an over but Chahal returned to the attack and put an end to the cameo (18) with a slower one.

The lower-order batters hit the leg-spinner for a few boundaries, but Chahal picked up the final two wickets in the same over to polish off the tail and end England`s innings at 259 in 45.5 overs.

Hardik Pandya`s impressive all-round show (71 runs and 4 wickets) along with Rishabh Pant's fantastic maiden century (125 not out) in the 50-over cricket guided India to a convincing five-wicket win over England in the third and final ODI and 2-1 win in the three-match series at Old Trafford, here on Sunday.

Hardik Pandya`s impressive all-round show (71 runs and 4 wickets) along with Rishabh Pant's fantastic maiden century (125 not out) in the 50-over cricket guided India to a convincing five-wicket win over England in the third and final ODI and 2-1 win in the three-match series at Old Trafford, here on Sunday. Pandya first starred with the ball before joining forces with Pant at a crucial juncture in the run chase as the two batters added 133 for the fifth wicket to set up India`s five-wicket win. All-rounder Hardik (4/24) and leg-spinner Chahal`s (3/60) superb bowling efforts helped India bowl out England for 259 in 45.5 overs. Skipper Jos Buttler played a vital knock (60 off 80) for England, who were invited to bat first by India captain Rohit Sharma. Apart from Buttler, Jason Roy (41), Moeen Ali (34), and Craig Overton (32) were the other main contributors with the bat for the hosts. Besides Pandya and Chahal, Mohammed Siraj (2/66), and Ravindra Jadeja (1/21) were the other wicket-takers for India. Chasing a challenging total, India were off to a bad start as Reece Topley removed Shikhar Dhawan early. Dhawan drove a full delivery but couldn`t keep it down and Roy took the catch at backward point. Also read | BCCI had Rs 400 million in bank when I joined and Rs 476.8 billion when I was banned, claims Lalit Modi Skipper Rohit Sharma looked in fine touch before Topley dismissed him. The ball was just outside off and Rohit (17) pushed and edged behind to the lone slip fielder Joe Root. As has been the case in recent matches, Virat Kohli looked good once again but flattered to deceive again as Topley bowled just outside off and the star batter nicked it behind again and walked back for 17, leaving India in trouble. Suryakumar Yadav scored 16 before he was sent back to the hut by Craig Overton. India were now reeling at 72/4, needing a big partnership and they got it with Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya, who launched a brilliant counter-attack. The pair embarked on a partnership of 133 runs, which came in only 115 deliveries. Their crucial partnership had some audacious shots, coupled with sensible defending. They found it easy to pierce the field at ease, as the England bowlers did not have any answers to their brilliance. Both Hardik and Pant brought up their half-centuries and started to up the ante, which brought Pandya`s wicket courtesy of a brilliant catch by Carse. When Pandya got out in the 36th over of the innings, there was still a lot to be done as India needed 55 runs to win. And, Pant became even more aggressive and went on to hit his first ODI century. The wicket-keeper batter treated the England bowlers with disdain, smashing David Willey for five fours in an over. In the end, Pant remained not out with 125 off 113 and along with Ravindra Jadeja (7 not out off 15) helped India to a thumping five-wicket victory in 42.1 overs and a 2-1 series win. Reece Topley (3/35) was England`s most successful bowler while Brydon Carse (1/45) and Craig Overton (1/54) also chipped in with one wicket each. Earlier, opener Jason Roy showed aggressive intent and fetched three fours right in the very first over but India struck at the other end just nine balls into the game. Siraj, who returned to the playing XI in place of an unfit Jasprit Bumrah, made an impact straight away by getting rid of Jonny Bairstow (0), who got a leading edge while attempting to work one on the leg side and the substitute Shreyas Iyer took an easy catch. Joe Root (0), who came to bat next, couldn`t do anything as Siraj forced him to give an easy catch to the slip fielder, leaving England in trouble at 12/2 at the end of two overs. However, unfazed by the double strike, Roy and Ben Stokes decided to counterattack and struck a flurry of boundaries. And in no time, they raced to their 50-run partnership. With main bowlers not controlling the flow of runs, skipper Rohit Sharma introduced Hardik Pandya into the attack. The all-rounder kept denying Roy the room, which the batter usually craves and that resulted in the wicket. On a short ball, Roy got a top edge in his attempt to smash it as Rishabh Pant took the catch and India got their third wicket. After a few overs, Pandya struck again to remove Stokes, who came down the track but couldn`t play the short ball with authority and the bowler himself took the catch, putting England in deep trouble at 74-4 after 13.2 overs. Also read | WATCH: Siraj dismisses Root, Bairstow on ducks in 3rd ODI against England From there on, the onus was on skipper Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali to bail England out of trouble. They bided their time but eventually got into their groove, stitching a crucial partnership and putting a bit of pressure back on the Indian bowlers. Just when it looked like their partnership was flourishing and leading England towards a decent total, Ravindra Jadeja struck in his very first over and gave India the much-needed wicket of Moeen, who edged the ball down the leg side and Pant took a brilliant catch. However, skipper Buttler held the England innings together and hit a crucial fifty. With more than 17 overs left in the innings and England already half down, Buttler along with Liam Livingstone needed to bat deep but Pandya once again changed the course of the game in a matter of three deliveries. In the 37th over of the innings, both Livingstone and Buttler looked to take on Pandya on the short ball but were caught brilliantly by Jadeja in the deep on both occasions. David Willey, who had scored crucial runs for England in the previous game, looked in fine touch again and was beginning to find a boundary an over but Chahal returned to the attack and put an end to the cameo (18) with a slower one. The lower-order batters hit the leg-spinner for a few boundaries, but Chahal picked up the final two wickets in the same over to polish off the tail and end England`s innings at 259 in 45.5 overs.

Pant ton, Pandya's all-round show help India to 2-1 series win over England

Happy Birthday Rishabh Pant: Reliving five most memorable moments in his cricketing career

Rishabh Pant's batting in the fourth Test left the cricketing world stunned. The southpaw scored a crucial quick-ton to put India in a commanding position in the final Test match of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium. He earned a lot of praise from several experts and former players of the game, including Pakistan's Inzamam-Ul-Haq.&nbsp;

In pics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ind-vs-eng-rishabh-pants-magnificent-century-against-jimmy-anderson-and-co-368226" hreflang="en">IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant's magnificent century against Jimmy Anderson and Co.</a>

Former Pakistan skipper said that he is yet to come across a player as boisterous as the young India wicketkeeper and added that it felt like watching a left-handed version of Virender Sehwag.

"Rishabh Pant, absolutely brilliant. After a long time, I have seen a player on whom pressure seems to have no effect. Even if six wickets are down at 146, the way he starts his innings, no one does. He plays his strokes, irrespective of the pitch or how many runs the other team has scored. He is equally good against spinners and fast bowlers. I thoroughly enjoy watching him. It's like watching Sehwag bat left-handed," Inzamam said on his YouTube channel.

Sehwag's form was at its peak when India toured Pakistan in 2004, the opening batsman smashed a memorable 309 at Multan. Taking a note from Sehwag's batting style, Inzamam pointed out a similarity in Pant.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/embarrassing-shoaib-akhtar-gives-his-verdict-on-englands-3-1-series-defeat-against-india-368566" hreflang="en">'Embarrassing': Shoaib Akhtar gives his verdict on England's 3-1 series defeat against India</a>

"I have played with Sehwag and he too didn't bother about other factors. When he used to bat, it didn't matter to him how the pitch behaved or what kind of bowling attack the opponent had. He just had to play his strokes, even if the fielders were on the boundary. After Sehwag, I have seen such a player, for whom nothing else matters," Inzamam added.

According to Inzamam, Pant is a rare cricketer as the level of confidence he possesses is remarkable, probably better than some of the big players Indian cricket has produced over the years.

"Ever since I've noted, it's not that he's only doing it in India, he did it in Australia too. He didn't get to score centuries because he plays at his own pace. After a long time, I have seen such a player. India had Sachin, Dravid… now they have Virat and Rohit. But the way he plays, it's amazing. The kind of self-confidence he has is surprising. I haven't come across a player like him in cricket," said Inzamam.

Rishabh Pant's batting in the fourth Test left the cricketing world stunned. The southpaw scored a crucial quick-ton to put India in a commanding position in the final Test match of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Rishabh Pant's batting in the fourth Test left the cricketing world stunned. The southpaw scored a crucial quick-ton to put India in a commanding position in the final Test match of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium. He earned a lot of praise from several experts and former players of the game, including Pakistan's Inzamam-Ul-Haq. In pics: IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant's magnificent century against Jimmy Anderson and Co. Former Pakistan skipper said that he is yet to come across a player as boisterous as the young India wicketkeeper and added that it felt like watching a left-handed version of Virender Sehwag. "Rishabh Pant, absolutely brilliant. After a long time, I have seen a player on whom pressure seems to have no effect. Even if six wickets are down at 146, the way he starts his innings, no one does. He plays his strokes, irrespective of the pitch or how many runs the other team has scored. He is equally good against spinners and fast bowlers. I thoroughly enjoy watching him. It's like watching Sehwag bat left-handed," Inzamam said on his YouTube channel. Sehwag's form was at its peak when India toured Pakistan in 2004, the opening batsman smashed a memorable 309 at Multan. Taking a note from Sehwag's batting style, Inzamam pointed out a similarity in Pant. Also read: 'Embarrassing': Shoaib Akhtar gives his verdict on England's 3-1 series defeat against India "I have played with Sehwag and he too didn't bother about other factors. When he used to bat, it didn't matter to him how the pitch behaved or what kind of bowling attack the opponent had. He just had to play his strokes, even if the fielders were on the boundary. After Sehwag, I have seen such a player, for whom nothing else matters," Inzamam added. According to Inzamam, Pant is a rare cricketer as the level of confidence he possesses is remarkable, probably better than some of the big players Indian cricket has produced over the years. "Ever since I've noted, it's not that he's only doing it in India, he did it in Australia too. He didn't get to score centuries because he plays at his own pace. After a long time, I have seen such a player. India had Sachin, Dravid… now they have Virat and Rohit. But the way he plays, it's amazing. The kind of self-confidence he has is surprising. I haven't come across a player like him in cricket," said Inzamam.

'Haven't come across player like him in cricket': Inzamam-Ul-Haq lauds Rishabh Pant

Former Indian skipper and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly lauded Rishabh Pant's aggressive century against England on Day 2 of the fourth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Ganguly took to Twitter and predicted that young southpaw will be an ‘all-time great in all formats of the game’.

IN PICS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ind-vs-eng-rishabh-pants-magnificent-century-against-jimmy-anderson-and-co-368226" hreflang="en">IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant's magnificent century against Jimmy Anderson and Co.</a>

"How good is he? Unbelievable..what a knock under pressure...not the first time and won't be the last time..will be an all time great in all formats in the years to come.keep batting in this aggressive manner. thats why will be match winner and special," wrote Ganguly on Twitter.

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How good is he? Unbelievable..what a knock under pressure...not the first time and won't be the last time..will be an all time great in all formats in the years to come.keep batting in this aggressive manner .thats why will be match winner and special..<a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bcci</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a> <a href="https://t.co/1cRmnSw5ZB">pic.twitter.com/1cRmnSw5ZB</a>
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) <a href="https://twitter.com/SGanguly99/status/1367802452070658051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rishabh Pant, who arrived when India were down to 80/4, slammed his third Test ton (maiden ton at home) to take hosts on top at the end of Day 2.&nbsp;

IN PICS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ind-vs-eng-4th-test-day-2-india-take-significant-lead-as-pant-smashes-ton-368212" hreflang="en">IND vs ENG, 4th Test Day 2: India take significant lead as Pant smashes ton</a>

At stumps, India took a lead of 89 runs after posting 294 for 7. Washington Sundar and Axar Patel seem comfortable on the crease.&nbsp;

Pant hit a total of 13 fours and two sixes before he finally fell in Anderson’s third over with the second new ball when he pulled the ball hard to Root at mid-wicket.&nbsp;

Former Indian skipper and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly lauded Rishabh Pant's aggressive century against England on Day 2 of the fourth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Former Indian skipper and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly lauded Rishabh Pant's aggressive century against England on Day 2 of the fourth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Ganguly took to Twitter and predicted that young southpaw will be an ‘all-time great in all formats of the game’. IN PICS: IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant's magnificent century against Jimmy Anderson and Co. "How good is he? Unbelievable..what a knock under pressure...not the first time and won't be the last time..will be an all time great in all formats in the years to come.keep batting in this aggressive manner. thats why will be match winner and special," wrote Ganguly on Twitter. How good is he? Unbelievable..what a knock under pressure...not the first time and won't be the last time..will be an all time great in all formats in the years to come.keep batting in this aggressive manner .thats why will be match winner and special..@bcci @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/1cRmnSw5ZB — Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) March 5, 2021 × Rishabh Pant, who arrived when India were down to 80/4, slammed his third Test ton (maiden ton at home) to take hosts on top at the end of Day 2. IN PICS: IND vs ENG, 4th Test Day 2: India take significant lead as Pant smashes ton At stumps, India took a lead of 89 runs after posting 294 for 7. Washington Sundar and Axar Patel seem comfortable on the crease. Pant hit a total of 13 fours and two sixes before he finally fell in Anderson’s third over with the second new ball when he pulled the ball hard to Root at mid-wicket.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly predicts that Rishabh Pant will be 'all-time great in all formats'

IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant's magnificent century against Jimmy Anderson and Co.

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant hit a superb 97 to bring India in fighting distance of Australia's target of 407&nbsp;on the final day of the Sydney Test but the Australians hit back taking the crucial wicket of&nbsp;Pujara.

Pant's 118-ball innings contained 12 boundaries and 2 sixes but he fell 3 runs short of his ton to Nathan Lyon.&nbsp;

India's middle-order spearhead Cheteshwar Pujara who has been out of form in this series fell on 77 to Hazelwood after&nbsp;batting fluently having played over 205&nbsp;balls with 12 boundaries.&nbsp;

India lost their third wicket early on the fifth morning as captain Rahane fell to Lyon with India in deep trouble at 102/3 when Rishab Pant walked in and together as India's wicketkeeper-batsman led from the front.

Pujara and Pant put on a solid 148-run partnership to bring India back in the game even though Australia's 407-run target still looks distant with India having lost 4 wickets with not much batting to come in lower order with Jadeja nursing an injury.

Australian spinner Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers having grabbed the crucial wicket of Pant and Rahane even as Hazelwood and Starc looked lacklustre.

Australia has taken the second new ball hoping to make inroads into the Indian batting lineup. India and Australia are locked 1-1 in the 4 matches Test series with the final set to be played in Brisbane.

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant hit a superb 97 to bring India in fighting distance of Australia's target of 407 on the final day of the Sydney Test but the Australians hit back taking the crucial wicket of Pujara.

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant hit a superb 97 to bring India in fighting distance of Australia's target of 407 on the final day of the Sydney Test but the Australians hit back taking the crucial wicket of Pujara. Pant's 118-ball innings contained 12 boundaries and 2 sixes but he fell 3 runs short of his ton to Nathan Lyon. India's middle-order spearhead Cheteshwar Pujara who has been out of form in this series fell on 77 to Hazelwood after batting fluently having played over 205 balls with 12 boundaries. India lost their third wicket early on the fifth morning as captain Rahane fell to Lyon with India in deep trouble at 102/3 when Rishab Pant walked in and together as India's wicketkeeper-batsman led from the front. Pujara and Pant put on a solid 148-run partnership to bring India back in the game even though Australia's 407-run target still looks distant with India having lost 4 wickets with not much batting to come in lower order with Jadeja nursing an injury. Australian spinner Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers having grabbed the crucial wicket of Pant and Rahane even as Hazelwood and Starc looked lacklustre. Australia has taken the second new ball hoping to make inroads into the Indian batting lineup. India and Australia are locked 1-1 in the 4 matches Test series with the final set to be played in Brisbane.

Sydney Test: Pant, Pujara fall as Australia claw their way back on final day

Rishabh Pant must learn the virtue of patience to transform himself from an exciting match-winner to a crucial 'finisher' for India, according to former captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

Famed for his swashbuckling batting, Pant is expected to be the second wicketkeeper in India's World Cup squad, behind Mahendra Singh Dhoni, after impressing across all three formats.

Pant smashed a blistering 78 not out of 27 balls in an Indian Premier League match against Mumbai Indians last month but the former aggressive opener advised the Delhi Capitals player to shun risks early in his knock.

"I firmly believe that he is one cricketer in India who could win his side - be it Delhi Capitals or Indian teams - games from hopeless situations," Srikkanth wrote in a column in Friday's Times of India newspaper.

"This kid has it in him but from my observation I feel that he doesn't give himself enough time to showcase his talent in the middle."

"He goes too hard right at the start. He needs to play in the 'V' the first few balls, irrespective of the format, maybe push the ball towards long-on or long-off frequently and get his eyes in.

"He has great ability and a range of shots to make it up in the end," added Srikkanth, a member of India's triumphant 1983 World Cup team.

Delhi head coach Ricky Ponting also believes Pant needed to be patient to be able to inflict maximum damage on rivals in the final overs.

"With Rishabh in white-ball cricket, the issue is that he's such a competitor that sometimes that gets the better of him," Ponting said ahead of Friday's match with Kolkata Knight Riders.

"He wants to get things done quickly in the white-ball game. In the tests he doesn't so much because there's not as much scoring pressure in tests."

Ponting, however, would not ask the 21-year-old to change the way he bats.

"I'm not going to curb the way he plays, I'm not gonna tell him to slow down because if he plays his best he will win games for us," Ponting said.

"I want him to go out with pure freedom and with no other thought other than hitting the ball for a six. We saw in Mumbai, when it comes off, we're going to win."

Rishabh Pant must learn the virtue of patience to transform himself from an exciting match-winner to a crucial 'finisher' for India, according to former captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

Rishabh Pant must learn the virtue of patience to transform himself from an exciting match-winner to a crucial 'finisher' for India, according to former captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth. Famed for his swashbuckling batting, Pant is expected to be the second wicketkeeper in India's World Cup squad, behind Mahendra Singh Dhoni, after impressing across all three formats. Pant smashed a blistering 78 not out of 27 balls in an Indian Premier League match against Mumbai Indians last month but the former aggressive opener advised the Delhi Capitals player to shun risks early in his knock. "I firmly believe that he is one cricketer in India who could win his side - be it Delhi Capitals or Indian teams - games from hopeless situations," Srikkanth wrote in a column in Friday's Times of India newspaper. "This kid has it in him but from my observation I feel that he doesn't give himself enough time to showcase his talent in the middle." "He goes too hard right at the start. He needs to play in the 'V' the first few balls, irrespective of the format, maybe push the ball towards long-on or long-off frequently and get his eyes in. "He has great ability and a range of shots to make it up in the end," added Srikkanth, a member of India's triumphant 1983 World Cup team. Delhi head coach Ricky Ponting also believes Pant needed to be patient to be able to inflict maximum damage on rivals in the final overs. "With Rishabh in white-ball cricket, the issue is that he's such a competitor that sometimes that gets the better of him," Ponting said ahead of Friday's match with Kolkata Knight Riders. "He wants to get things done quickly in the white-ball game. In the tests he doesn't so much because there's not as much scoring pressure in tests." Ponting, however, would not ask the 21-year-old to change the way he bats. "I'm not going to curb the way he plays, I'm not gonna tell him to slow down because if he plays his best he will win games for us," Ponting said. "I want him to go out with pure freedom and with no other thought other than hitting the ball for a six. We saw in Mumbai, when it comes off, we're going to win."

Patient Rishabh Pant can be the 'finisher' India need: Former captain Srikkanth

Watch: Rishabh Pant reacts on his historic innings at Sydney Test

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