Sunil Gavaskar could barely contain his displeasure at the loss of Rishabh Pant’s wicket on day three of the Boxing Day Test in progress at the MCG. It was one of those rare moments through India’s innings when someone could have stood up and stitched a partnership. Instead, Pant opted for the big ramp shot, his favourite against Scott Boland, only to get caught by Nathan Lyon.
Gavaskar, on air for ABC Sport, erupted so much that he called Pant’s approach ‘stupid’ on air and even insisted that he not come back to the dressing room.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid. You’ve got two fielders there, and you still go for that. You missed the previous shot. And look where you have been caught. You have been caught at deep third man. That is throwing away your wicket. Not in the situation that India was in, you have to understand the situation as well. You cannot say that that’s your natural game. I’m sorry. That’s not your natural game. That is a stupid shot. That is letting your team down badly,” Gavaskar said
The echo of Gavaskar’s rants went socially viral, with about 10 million views across platforms. Among those views came the one belonging to Gavaskar’s outburst on the Pant issue. To that, the legend replied that it was just a passion for the game on Sunday. Indian cricket, he added, has made him what he is today.
I wonder whether I should be that passionate about Indian cricket now, now that I’ve, you know, I’m almost 35 years retired, but I am what I am because of Indian cricket. I’m not sitting here [in the comm box] because of my looks. Not because I’m vertically challenged or horizontally blessed. I am here only because of being played for India,” Gavaskar said.
“As soon as I see anyone talented like Rishabh Pant taking a shot like that, I had no qualms with the first shot that he played,” Gavaskar said. “The upset is because the ego got taken over by the next ball.”
“I’m beaten in the mid-rif for playing that similar shot, and now I’m going to show the darn bowler who is boss. Test cricket is not easy, when he got out or become out, they have two fielders there in the deep, and this is a really great ground. Hitting those sixes is not easy. You have the fielders in the catching position over there along with the deep square leg and a deep fine leg. But he got caught a third man with the edge.”
“I’ve seen him play some really grand innings. But here it’s a different matter. In Australia, I think he thinks that this is the only way he can ever score runs. Here he is stepping down the pitch and lofting the ball for that boundary. That’s not the way he scores runs. In the past, he’s played those shots which have been outrageously good.”
“I’ve seen the cover drive along the ground very well and the square for the pull shot he plays so well. The flick off the pads. Everything he’s got as well. So therefore to try and take a little bit of a risk at that stage would be a little too much,” he concluded.
Pant was at his best producing a 37-ball 28 with three fours, while adding 32 runs for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (17).
