4th Test: Gavaskar Critiques Pant for Reckless Dismissal, Claims He Disappointed the Team
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Melbourne, Dec 28 (NationPress) Renowned Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar strongly criticized Rishabh Pant for his ill-advised dismissal in the current Boxing Day Test, describing it as ‘a stupid shot’ and asserting that the wicketkeeper-batter let his team down when they required him to bat for a longer duration.
During the 56th over against Scott Boland, Pant attempted a risky ramp shot, but instead, he accidentally edged the ball onto his stomach. Australian captain Pat Cummins had strategically positioned fielders at fine leg and third man, anticipating that Pant might attempt that shot again.
It unfolded as predicted when Pant attempted the same shot on the very next ball; unfortunately for him, this time the top-edge went straight to Nathan Lyon at deep third man, resulting in his dismissal for 28 runs off 37 balls, which left Gavaskar visibly frustrated.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid! You’ve got two fielders there and you still go for that. You missed the previous shot, and look where you’ve been caught. That is throwing away your wicket. You cannot claim that this is 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 need to understand the situation as well. He should not be heading to that (India's) dressing room; he ought to be going into the other dressing room,” Gavaskar expressed on ABC Sport.
In this series up to now, Pant's average stands at just 20.66, with his top score being 37. On Fox Cricket, Australia's women’s captain Alyssa Healy and former male player Kerry O’Keeffe praised Cummins for his effective field placement that led to Pant's dismissal.
“You can tell that Pant was set up for such a shot. They also had two deep fielders on the leg side, a fine leg and a backward square, anticipating something like that,” O’Keeffe commented.
“Clearly, Rishabh didn’t intend for the ball to go to Nathan Lyon, but with two fielders out on the leg side, it’s a hazardous shot,” Alyssa added. “Pat was smiling, he knew he had the field positioned correctly,” O’Keeffe replied.
Meanwhile, Gavaskar recommended that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy be elevated in the batting order, citing that the young player is more responsible and aware of game situations. Prior to the lunch break, Reddy demonstrated good footwork and a proactive approach, remaining not out on 40.
Throughout the series, Reddy has proven to be a standout performer with the bat, displaying maturity and composure on his inaugural tour of Australia. “He should be promoted up the order, as he bats with a great sense of responsibility. He exhibits a significant awareness of the situation, which is crucial in Test cricket,” Gavaskar noted.
