IND vs SA: No Excuses For That Shot - Sunil Gavaskar Distraught With Rishabh Pant's Dismissal
Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar laid into Indian wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant after the latter was dismissed in quite an ugly fashion on the morning of Day 3 of the Johannesburg Test against South Africa.
Pant had played all of two deliveries when he decided to jump down the track and attempt to hit Kagiso Rabada out of the park. It was a horrendous moment for the 24-year-old southpaw as he only managed a nick which was grabbed by the wicket-keeper, Kyle Verreynne.
Pant’s dismissal almost undid the brilliant work of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, who put India in a position of strength courtesy of a magnificent 111-run partnership for the third wicket. Speaking about the fashion in which Pant got out, Gavaskar said on air:
“You have got two new batsmen at the crease and then you saw that shot from Rishabh Pant. Forgettable, no excuses for that shot, no excuses. None of that nonsense about that being his natural game.“
“There is supposed to be a bit of responsibility shown” – Sunil Gavaskar
The moment called for circumspect batting combined with bits of aggression but Pant’s attempt to go for an all-out attack even before settling in would have turned heads in the Indian dressing room. The head coach, Rahul Dravid, was stonefaced after the dismissal and is likely going to have a word with Pant.
“There is supposed to be a bit of responsibility shown. Because there are others taking the blows. There are guys like Rahane and Pujara who have taken it on their body. So you also fight it out. I tell you what, you won’t get too many kind words in the changing room,” Gavaskar added.
At Lunch, India was 188/6 having gained a lead of 161 runs. Shardul Thakur and Hanuma Vihari were at the crease and they need to put up a partnership and get the visitors past the 200-run target.
Also Read – IND vs SA: Too Much Uneven Bounce On This Surface: Aakash Chopra Slams Johannesburg Pitch
