Sunil Gavaskar leaves commentary duty during IND vs ENG 2nd Test after unfortunate demise of his mother-in-law

Published - 02 Feb 2024, 06:48 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:26 AM

Sunil Gavaskar, Ajinkya Rahane
Sunil Gavaskar (Image Credits: Twitter)

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar had to abruptly leave his commentary duties during the second Test of the ongoing five-match series between India and England. Sunil Gavaskar will not be continuing his commentary for the rest of the red-ball match in Visakhapatnam.

Sunil Gavaskar was in Visakhapatnam for commentary duty but had to travel to Kanpur due to the unfortunate demise of his mother-in-law, as per Cricbuzz. The former Indian opener immediately left his commentary to be with his wife, Marshneil, during this difficult time for their family.

The former Indian skipper was part of the commentary panel for the host broadcasters in Hyderabad during the series opener. Gavaskar resumed his duties with the broadcast team in Visakhapatnam on Friday before learning about his mother-in-law’s passing away.

The 74-year-old married Marshneil, Pushpa Mehrotra’s daughter, in 1974. Their first encounter was in 1973 when Marshneil sought Gavaskar’s autograph at a cricket match. The legendary batter also gave his heart to Marshneil, leading to their marriage the following year.

Sunil Gavaskar’s Mother Passed Away in 2022 While Commentating For IND vs BAN Test

Sunil experienced the loss of his mother, Meena Gavaskar, who passed away due to age-related issues at the age of 95. Interestingly, Gavaskar was fulfilling commentary duties in Dhaka for an India vs Bangladesh Test when his mother breathed her last in December 2022.

Pushpa Mehrotra shared a close bond with Rohan Gavaskar, Sunil’s son. In a 2004 interview, Pushpa expressed pride when Rohan made his international debut against Australia. She stated that she had always believed Rohan deserved to represent India.

“I had been waiting for this day. I always knew Rohan deserved to don the national colours. It was good seeing him take two quick and intelligent singles. It was amazing to see him take that spectacular catch. Of course, on Tuesday he got out early, but he did score 22 runs in as many balls and the only six of the match.”

Sunil Gavaskar, one of Team India’s greatest openers, represented the national team in 125 Tests, amassing 10,122 runs with 34 centuries. Post-retirement, Gavaskar had also engaged in cricket administration, including a stint as the interim president of the BCCI.

But Didn’t Have The Same Intent – Rohit Sharma

Speaking at the time of the toss, India captain Rohit Sharma emphasized the need for strong execution of their plans. He acknowledged the team’s need to move on from the previous match’s outcome.

“We’ll bat first. Looks like a good pitch, the pitch will do its thing, we need to play good cricket. What happened in Hyderabad is history, we need to move on. We have spoken on things we need to do, now we need to execute on our plans. I thought we batted well in the first innings but didn’t have the same intent,” Rohit Sharma said.

“Similarly, in the second innings with the bowl, there was a brilliant knock by Ollie Pope. Injuries are part and parcel of the game, but that’s why we have the guys sitting on the bench. Two unforced changes – Jadeja and KL missed out, and Siraj has been rested. We’ve got Mukesh, Kuldeep and Rajat Patidar making his debut,” he aded.

Also read: Sunil Gavaskar, Kevin Pietersen argue over defense-offense mechanism of batting

logo
Stay Updated with the Latest Cricket News from Cricket Addictor.

You will receive the latest updates on cricket news throughout the day. You can manage them whenever you need in browser settings.