Gavaskar was so livid on Pant’s poor shot selection that he said, “He (Rishabh Pant) should not be going in that dressing room, he should be going into the other dressing room.”
Wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant’s yet another poor shot that resulted in his getting out on day 3 of the fourth test between India and Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday made Sunil Gavaskar so furious that he burst out, ‘Stupid, stupid, stupid’.
India and Australia are tied 1-1 with two tests left including the ongoing MCG test. If India manages to win this test it would be able to retain Border-Gavaskar trophy.
ABC Sport has posted a video clip on X (formerly Twitter) in which Gavaskar can be seen venting his anger.
https://x.com/abcsport/status/1872832363211677887
Gavaskar was so livid on Pant’s poor shot selection that when the other Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle said, “191 for 6. Rishabh has gone for 28. I suspect that there may not be too much of a conversation in the dressing room” Gavaskar responded gesturing with his right hand, “He should not be going in that dressing room, he should be going into the other dressing room.”
However, Gavaskar who has half of the trophy’s name to his credit (Border-Gavaskar trophy) had a reason to be upset with Rishabh Pant given the way he has been throwing his wicket in the present series since the first test, that too mostly after getting settled on the crease, and he had missed the previous shot when attempted.
Gavaskar was furious that Pant threw his wicket at the time when India was struggling to avoid a follow-on with half the team having already got out.
“You’ve got two fielders there and you still go for that. You missed the previous shot, and look where you’ve been caught”, said Gavaskar as can be seen in the video posted by ABC Sport.
He said, “That is throwing away your wicket. You cannot say that’s your natural game. I’m sorry, that is not your natural game. That is a stupid shot. That is letting your team down badly. You have to understand the situation as well.”
Gavaskar’s ‘natural game’ words were perhaps in reference to the defence the Indian team management often offered for Pant saying they have allowed him to play his natural game.
Though Gavaskar, a living legend of Indian cricket particularly when it comes to test cricket, does lose his cool when he sees batsmen’s poor and irresponsible shots selection, he was, perhaps, hardly seen in such a furious mood before particularly during commentary. In fact, anger and frustration could be seen writ large on Gavaskar’s face the very moment Pant got out. Harsha Bhogle was doing commentary at that moment and Gavaskar was seen trying to control his anger but he couldn’t and interrupted Bhogle while bursting out in anger against Pant.
As has been reported by ABC, “so intense was the anger from Gavaskar that he had to check on the wellbeing of co-commentator Harsha Bhogle.”
“Actually, are your ear drums OK?” he asked.
“Because, you know, I screamed a little bit, so may be, we’re also connected to each other on the headphones. [But] your ear drums are OK?”
Seeing Gavaskar in such a furious mood even Harsha Bhogle chose to withdraw himself for some moments during the commentary.
In the last six innings against Australia for Border-Gavaskar trophy including the present first innings of the fourth test Pant’s scores include 37, 1, 21, 28, 9, 28. He didn’t need to bat in the second innings of the third test which was badly affected by rains and ended in a draw.
It was a great display of grit and skill and also resolute defiance to fierce Australian bowling as demonstrated by Hyderabad lad Nitesh Kumar Reddy and his partner on the crease Washington Sundar that India could avoid the follow-on. Nitesh Kumar Reddy made his maiden test century while Sundar hit another 50 during his gritty performance.
There were emotional moments when parents of Reddy and sister met him in his hotel room after his innings for the day.
https://x.com/bcci/status/1872957201947738414?s=46
India was 358 for 9, still 116 runs behind Australia’s score in the first innings at the end of the third day’s play.
