Former India player Sunil Gavaskar has also expressed his confidence in the out-of-form Rishabh Pant to shine in the crucial fifth and final Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test against Australia in Sydney as well. Gavaskar had lashed out at Pant after his first-innings dismissal in the fourth Test in Melbourne, terming the shot as ‘stupid’ as well. Despite being comfortable at 28, Pant went for an unorthodox scoop shot when India were in trouble and got out. Gavaskar, who was on air then, angrily shouted, ‘stupid, stupid, stupid’, before slamming him.

In his column for The Sydney Morning Herald ahead of the Sydney Test, Gavaskar wrote: “I have been fortunate to see Pant play some fabulous orthodox century innings for India in England, South Africa, and here in Australia last time. He can do it again and if he does it in Sydney, I will be standing up and screaming ‘Superb, superb, superb.’ Playing for India is serious business with the millions who wake up early in the morning to see their favorite players and so bringing a festive air with chirps behind the stumps can lighten the pressure, but batting as if in a festival match is not the way to go about it.”

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Sunil Gavaskar also opened up on the importance of Rishabh Pant for Team India, calling him the batter whom the Australians ‘fear the most’ in India’s lineup.

“Pant is the man who the Australians fear the most because of his ability to take the game away with his stroke play. On the last trip he took the attack to the Aussies in a most calculated way and was the main architect of the famous win at the Gabba that sealed the series for India,” Gavaskar wrote in the same column. “This time around more than calculated it is premeditated that has been his theme song and which has got him out. It’s as if he has decided that the only way to score this time is to attempt the ridiculously audacious.”