Lucknow Super Giants skipper, Rishabh Pant, recently recalled a memorable moment from the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy when legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar sharply criticized one of Pant’s reckless shot selections, calling it a “stupid” mistake.
The incident occurred during the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where Pant’s ill-timed shot landed straight in the hands of a third man, earning the displeasure of Gavaskar, who was commentating at the time.
Known for his unconventional and aggressive batting style, Pant has been praised for his fearless approach. However, during that particular game, Gavaskar was less than impressed, famously saying, “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” in response to Pant’s dismissal. The commentary moment became iconic, with Gavaskar urging the young batter to play with more responsibility given the match situation.
In a video circulating on social media, Pant can be seen wearing a microphone and attempting to mimic Gavaskar’s intense commentary, but breaking into laughter when he couldn’t quite capture the original tone.
What exactly Sunil Gavaskar had said during the commentary?
While on the ABC commentary panel along with Harsha Bhogle, Gavaskar had reacted on Pant’s poor batting show, “Stupid, stupid, stupid! You’ve got two fielders there, and you still go for that shot. You missed the previous one, and look where you’ve been caught. This is throwing away your wicket, and you cannot say it’s your natural game. I’m sorry, but that was a stupid shot, letting your team down badly. You have to understand the situation.”
Pant, who continues to evolve as a player, has seen massive success off the field as well. At the most recent IPL auction, he set a new record, fetching ₹27 crore from the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He was also named captain of the franchise, taking over from KL Rahul, who was not retained for the upcoming season.
The Super Giants will kick off their 2025 IPL campaign against the Delhi Capitals on March 24 in Vishakhapatnam.