'Gavaskar Laughing': Pant's Bizarre Reverse-Sweep Attempt Stuns India Great

Team India was reduced to its lowest ever total at home in Tests, registering a paltry score of 46 in the first innings of the 1st Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. India captain Rohit Sharma‘s decision to bat first backfired as the overcast conditions at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium made it increasingly difficult for batters to survive. The hosts were reduced to 10/3 after Rohit, Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan failed to even survive the first hour of play in the morning session.

Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal stitched the biggest partnership as the two added 31 runs for the fourth wicket. Despite India being in a precarious position, Pant attempted a reverse sweep moments after coming out to bat.

He did so on the fifth ball of the 10th over off Matt Henry‘s delivery. The ball was pitched on leg and Pant cleared his front leg and sat down to play the reverse lap. However, the ball hit his gloved and looped up in the air. Thankfully for Pant, the ball landed in no man’s land.

Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who was on commentary duty for the match, revealed that legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar was laughing in disbelief after Pant almost made a mess out of his unsuccessful attempt of playing a reverse slap.

“Sunil Gavaskar has had a good laugh at this,” Karthik said, with Gavaskar also inside the commentary box.

However, former India head coach Ravi Shastri claimed that Pant won’t shy away from playing the audacious shot again.

“What was that? He won’t shy away from playing this shot again,” he added.

Karthik, however, claimed that such shots can only have two outcomes.

“There are two ways to look at bold shots. If it comes off, it is courageous. If it doesn’t, it is silly,” Karthik added.

It was India’s third-lowest Test score ever. Their previous lowest at home was 75 against the West Indies in New Delhi in 1987.

Their lowest overall is 36 against Australia in a pink-ball Adelaide Test in 2020. They fell for 42 against England at Lord’s in 1974.

(With AFP Inputs)