Former India head coach responds to Sunil Gavaskar’s ‘stupid’ comment, defends Rishabh Pant

Team India’s aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was under scanner for his dismissal on Day three of the MCG Test against hosts Australia.

Pant threw his wicket by attempting a ramp shot off Scott Boland’s delivery. However, he was caught and it left former India great Sunil Gavaskar furious.

According to the former legendry batsman, it was not the right shot for that particular moment as India was struggling and Pant needed to step up. Instead, he threw his wicket away, as he has done in the past during this series, failing to convert starts into big runs.

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Gavaskar expressed his disappointment by saying, “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid. That is throwing away your wicket — not in the situation India was in,” Gavaskar said during commentary after Pant got out playing a poor shot in Boland’s over. 

“You have to understand the situation as well. You cannot say that’s your natural game. I am sorry, but that is not your natural game. That is a stupid shot, it is letting your team down badly,” he added.

However, in response to Gavaskar’s statement, former India all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri defended Pant.

“It’s not in every innings that Pant has attempted that shot. Let’s look at the way he was dismissed in each innings. He got 2-3 really good deliveries. In Adelaide, he got a delivery that left off the length; there was no way he played an attacking shot. He got another one that left him, and he was caught behind. In the second innings in Adelaide, second ball of the day, he gets a good one from Starc and nicks it. So, let’s calm down here, guys. It’s not every time he’s throwing it away. He got some good balls as well,” said Shastri.