Rishabh Pant revels in Cheteshwar Pujara's company

Pant's career average from nine Tests now stands at an impressive 49.71 with centuries in England and Australia – the first Indian wicket-keeper batsman to do so. The left-hander has scored more runs in this series (350) than Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, and is second only to Pujara (521).

Up until the Sydney Test, the left-hander had had middling returns with a string of 20s and 30s in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne, and was found playing expansive shots, particularly against off-spinner Nathan Lyon, and getting dismissed in the pursuit.

But that changed in Sydney, as he not only notched up his second Test ton and carried on to remain unbeaten on 159* when India declared their first innings at 622/7, but also had the luxury of batting alongside Pujara, who was on his way to a masterly innings.

So what changed for Pant that helped him score more than four times his next highest score in the series? "I don't think anything changed for me, but the main thing was that I was playing with batsmen this time. Anyone who's having a lean patch can learn from Pujji bhai(Pujara)," Pant revealed after the day's play on Friday, 4 January.

"Most of the time when I got those starts, I was playing with the tail. So if I am batting with the tail, I have to think differently, because most of the time I have to score runs. But when you are batting with a batsman, it's a different thing. You have seen it today."

It could have been four Test tons for Pant but for his twin scores of 92 at home against the Windies last year, something that had made the 21-year-old "little nervous" when batting in the 90s at the SCG.

"The team plan was to bat for as long as possible. I was batting according to the plan and runs came as a result," Pant said.

"To be honest, I was a little nervous [in the 90s] because in India, when we were playing the West Indies, in the last two innings I got out on 92 and 92. I was scared slightly but I got through that phase early."

Pant soldiered on to make merry on a warm Sydney day, adding 89 with Pujara for the sixth wicket and then a mammoth 204 runs with Ravindra Jadeja, owing his performance to the "freedom to express myself" afforded to him by the team.

And as much as Pant was in the middle of things on the field at the SCG, he was in the talk off it as well. After a conversation between him and Australian captain Tim Paine with the latter asking Pant if he's good babysitting was caught on the stump mic, Pant was spotted in a photograph with Paine's wife and kids, which was widely circulated on social media.

While it was thought that Pant had accepted Paine's challenge in a great show of sportsmanship, Pant revealed that it was merely a coincidence that the photo was posted on Instagram.

"It's a way to keep yourself positive. To keep yourself busy," Pant said of his on-field banter with Paine. "If you're fielding for a long time, the body gets tired. But how you keep yourself positive and not let your concentration wane is up to you. This is my way to do it and it's working for me."

On meeting Mrs.Paine and kids, Pant said, "It was lovely meeting them [but] I don't think I have to change myself for something like that. The only thing [is that] they put that photo on Instagram and it got viral. Nothing [babysitting] like that."