Sunil Gavaskar expressed his dismay at the umpires asking India keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant not to bat out of his crease. Sunil Gavaskar never shies away from making his point loud and clear.
After expressing his disagreements with Nasser Hussain’s comments about India’s previous generation cricketers getting ‘bullied,’ the legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar this time expressed his dismay at the umpires asking India keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant not to bat out of his crease.
Sunil Gavaskar Was Wondering Why Rishabh Pant Was Told To Change His Stance
The southpaw slightly batted outside the crease on Day 1 of the Leeds Test, which the umpires had found wrong as they felt he was trying to deliberately come into the danger area by creating footmarks, and hence he was told to bat inside the crease itself. Sunil Gavaskar’s comments came during Day 3 of the India vs England third Test at Headingley in Leeds. Sunil Gavaskar said footmarks don’t determine a batsman’s stance.
“I was wondering why was he told to change his stance if that is true. I only read it. A batsman can stand anywhere, even on the middle of the pitch, and what about when the batsman goes down the track against the spinners (footmarks can form even then),” Gavaskar said while commentating on the third day of the match.
His fellow commentator and former India player Sanjay Manjrekar called it “ridiculous”. Rishabh Pant spoke about this after India was bowled out for 78 on the opening day of the match.
“Because I was standing outside the crease and my front foot was coming into the danger area, so he (the umpire) told me that you can’t stand there,” Pant had said during the virtual post-day press conference on Wednesday.
“So, I have (had) to change my stance, but as a cricketer, I don’t have to think too much about that, because it’s everyone who is going to do that, umpires are going to say the same thing. I didn’t do that the next ball and you move on.”
The decision by the two English umpires once again asks whether it’s time that ICC reverts back to its two neutral on-field umpires for Test matches has been stopped due to travel restrictions in the post-Covid-19 world. On-field umpires Paul Wharf and Richard Kettleborough decided the verdict against Rishabh Pant.
India Lost By An Innings And 76 Runs As Series Level At 1-1
Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara led India’s fightback as they reached 215 for 2 at stumps on Friday(3rd Day). Cheteshwar Pujara was unbeaten on 91 with captain Virat Kohli (45) for company. India was still 139 runs away from making England bat again.
However, India lost 8 wickets in the morning session on Day 4 to hand England a series leveling win in Leeds. Joe Root-led England crushed India by an innings and 76 runs as Ollie Robinson clinched a fifer in the second innings. The fourth Test will now be played at The Oval from September 2.
Resuming at an overnight score of 215 for 2, India’s second innings folded in 99.3 overs with England pacer Ollie Robinson claiming five wickets. India was bundled out for a paltry 78 in their first innings on an opening day. England then posted 432 in their first innings to take a mammoth lead of 354 runs. India lost their last eight wickets for 53 runs in the morning session on Day 4 to hand England a convincing win.