Once again in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Rishabh Pant failed to make the best of a good start. On Day 3 of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Pant went for an unncessary unorthodox lap or scoop shot and paid the price for it. He lost his wicket for a 37-ball 28 to Scott Boland and gifted Australia a breakthrough. The manner in which Pant lost his wicket did not impress the legendary Sunil Gavaskar who called his shot selection 'stupid'. Gavaskar usually speaks highly of Pant but he slammed the wicketkeeper-batter as he does not want him get away with it by saying that it is his "natural game".
"Stupid, Stupid, STUPID! You've got two fielders there, and you still go for that. You missed the previous shot, and look where you've been caught. That is throwing away your wicket. You cannot say that is your natural game. I'm sorry. That is not your natural game. This is a stupid shot. This is letting your team down badly. You have to understand the situation as well." Gavaskar said during commentary on ABC Sport.
"He should not be going in that [India's] dressing room, he should be going in the other dressing room," Gavaskar added.
Later, in the commentary box, Gavaskar said that Pant should be dropped down to no.7 if he wants to play like that. Currently, he is batting at no.5. However, he walked out to bat at no.6 in the ongoing innings as Akash Deep was sent in to fulfill the nightwatchman's duties on Day 2.
Pant and Ravindra Jadeja shared a 32-run partnership for the sixth wicket from 67 balls. During their partnership, there were a few mix-ups in the middle as well.
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Pant struggling in the series
The 27-year-old has not been in best of forms in the series. The southpaw has scored 124 runs from six innings so far at an average of 20.66. He is yet to score a fifty in the series.
Pant's last tour of Australia
The last Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Australian soil, Pant warmed the bench for the pink-ball Adelaide Test and then went on to score 274 runs from five innings at an average of 68.50 including two half-centuries. He was India's highest run-scorer on the tour, just ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara.