"The boys have a lot of fire" - Rohit Sharma reacts to dressing room leaks on Day 2 of BGT 2024-25 5th Test

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma has opened up on reports of leaked dressing room conversations in the wake of their 184-run defeat in the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). With the defeat, the visitors squandered their opportunity to win three consecutive Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under.

Reports emerged that head coach Gautam Gambhir slammed the Indian players for not shouldering enough responsibility. Gambhir had earlier rebuked all such reports, saying only 'honest words' were shared in the dressing room.

Rohit also played down the incident in an interview with Star Sports during the Lunch break on Day 2. He said:

"The boys have a lot of fire. You can only control what's in your hands and not what is being reported."

The Indian cricketers will be desperate to put all the rumors behind them and return to winning ways in Sydney, with a place in the World Test Championship final hanging by the thread.

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"If you poke us they will bounce back" - Rohit Sharma on the heated exchange between Jasprit Bumrah and Sam Konstas

A verbal battle transpired at the fag end of the day's play when Jasprit Bumrah seemed annoyed with Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja's time-wasting tactics.

The ace speedster said a few words when Khawaja stopped Bumrah midway through his bowling run-up. Konstas also got involved and exchanged words with India's stand-in skipper. Tension flared as the duo walked towards each other before the umpire had to intervene to stop them.

Sharing his take on the incident, Rohit Sharma asserted that they don't initiate verbal battles but know how to bounce back if someone pokes.

"Our boys, as long as you are quiet they are quiet. If you poke us they will bounce back. Our boys are classy - we focus on our work. We knew if we get wickets, we would put them under pressure," he added.

It is worth noting that India had the last laugh in the verbal battle as Jasprit Bumrah induced an edge of Usman Khawaja in the final ball of Day 1 to rock back Australia.