Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has sharply criticized Rishabh Pant’s shot selection following his dismissal in the Melbourne Test against Australia.
Pant’s dismissal at a crucial moment angered Gavaskar, who called the wicketkeeper-batsman “stupid” for throwing away his wicket in such a manner.
Meanwhile, Gavaskar was full of praise for Nitish Kumar Reddy, who played a fantastic century to bring India back into the game after a tough situation.
India started the day under pressure, having lost three wickets for six runs the previous evening. Pant took charge with confident batting but failed to extend his innings. In the 56th over, he was caught at deep third man after trying to scoop a delivery from Boland.
Soon after, Ravindra Jadeja also departed, leaving India at 221 for 7 and at risk of being forced to follow-on. But Nitish stepped up, scoring a brilliant century and lifting India’s spirits in the process.
Gavaskar, who was commentating for ABC Radio, expressed his frustration at Pant’s dismissal. In a harsh tone, he advised Pant to head back to the dressing room.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid! There were two fielders in that area, and even after missing the previous shot, you still attempted to play there. Look where you got out—deep third man. That’s just throwing your wicket away. In this situation, such a shot is never acceptable.”
“Understand the situation. You can’t just say, ‘This is my natural game.’ Sorry, this is not his natural game. This is a stupid shot. It’s putting the team in a very bad position!”
During a break in the first session, Gavaskar again slammed Pant on Star Sports.
“I think it was understandable when he tried that shot earlier when there were no fielders. You wanted to take the opportunity, but after a fielder was placed at deep square leg and deep point, trying to play there was just a poor shot selection.”
When Jadeja was dismissed, leaving India needing 54 more runs to avoid the follow-on, Nitish emerged as the savior. He scored a magnificent century, his first in Test cricket, and Gavaskar praised him highly for his performance.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy’s century will be remembered as one of the finest in Indian cricket history.”
With one six and 10 fours, Nitish remained unbeaten on 105 off 176 balls. Gavaskar not only praised his innings but also wished him a bright future.
“This is his first Test century, and he will score many more runs in the future. I hope to see him in form for many years to come. He is a star in Indian cricket.”
“He must always remember the sacrifices made by his father and family. Nitish is here because of Indian cricket, and he must never take it lightly. If he stays true to himself, a successful career awaits him.”
At the end of day three of the Boxing Day Test, India finished on 358 for 9 in response to Australia’s 474. India still trails by 116 runs.
