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After finishing Day 2 of the ongoing Boxing Day Test at the score of 164/6, trailing Australia by 310 runs, India resumed their innings with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in the middle. However, none of these batters could make much impact with the bat as they departed having scored 28 and 17 runs respectively. While Nathan Lyon caught Jadeja lbw, Rishabh Pant gifted his wicket, getting several talking.
Pant, who had looked jittery from the start of the innings on Day 3 of the fourth BGT Test at MCG, nearly got caught twice, but then survived two run-out attempts due to on-field mix-ups alongside Ravindra Jadeja. After settling for an hour in the middle, Pant decided to scoop Scott Boland’s full-length delivery behind the keeper and gave his wicket with the third man taking a catch.
Sunil Gavaskar lashes out at Rishabh Pant for “gifting” his wicket in MCG Test
Soon after giving away his wicket in a bizarre manner, former India cricketer and legend Sunil Gavaskar could not hold back his emotions as he lashed out at the Indian wicketkeeper-batter. Gavaskar, who was commentating at that moment went out all furious on Pant’s bizarre dismissal. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! You have two fielders there, you still go for that shot. You have missed the previous shot and look where you have been caught. You have been caught at deep third man. That is throwing away your wicket. Not in the situation that India was,” Gavaskar fumingly said.
“You have to understand the situation as well. You cannot say that that's your natural game. I'm sorry that is not your natural game. That is a stupid shot that is letting your team down badly. He should not be going in that dressing room. He should be going to the other dressing room," he further added.
Watch Sunil Gavaskar lash out at Rishabh Pant for giving his wicket:
However, after cheap dismissals of Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar held the fortress for India. While Nitish Kumar Reddy went onto score his maiden fifty, he is well supported by Sundar. But, slight drizzle forced umpires to call for early Tea. On Day 3 at Tea, Indian scorecard read 326/7 with Reddy (85) nearing his maiden ton, whereas Sundar stands at 40 off 115 deliveries.
