India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar showed no interest in accepting Irfan Pathan's on-air apology after being thoroughly impressed by the former Indian all-rounder's insightful analysis of KL Rahul's batting technique during first Test against South Africa. Pathan was dissecting Rahul's approach during his 101-run innings against South Africa in the first Test at Centurion. His precise assessment of Rahul's batting left Gavaskar spellbound, hanging on to every word Pathan said. Sensing that he might have spoken for an extended period, Pathan offered a gentle apology to Gavaskar, saying 'Sorry, sir'.
During the lunch interval on Day 1 Pathan said,“See, firstly, in terms of technique, Sunny sir had mentioned how he should play underneath his head. For a batter, it's always a point of discussion as to whether he is stretching his legs forward or going back while playing the ball. In case of Rahul, he is allowing the ball to come to him, which is a must. But besides that, a brilliant aspect of his batting was the position of his bat. The angle of the bat is not in line with his hands - it's slightly behind. What that does is that you get that little extra time. Otherwise, you will fumble and end up playing the ball on your toes. That's where the chances of edge increased”.
"Sir sorry," he further added, before the batting great said, 'no problem' and the discourse continued. "But if you keep the bat at that angle, you have time. This is actually a masterclass for young boys. If there is help in the pitch, you can actually hold the bat softly," Pathan concluded.
Gavaskar responded by saying he wouldn't accept Irfan's apology, explaining that he too found Pathan's insights educational. Known for emphasizing fundamentals like turning singles into doubles, grounding the bat properly, and playing within the 'V', Gavaskar, openly admitted that he was deeply impressed by Pathan's analysis.
"He said sorry to me but I won't accept it because today I have also learnt something new. As long as you stay a student of the game, you will always learn and it will only benefit you. I had never thought about it but this is such a deep insight in terms of technique. I am not at all surprised because he is an all-rounder. He has studied Rahul's batting from a bowler's point of view," Gavaskar replied.
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Gavaskar, with a cricket career spanning over 50 years, encompassing roles as a player, broadcaster, expert, analyst, and columnist, found Pathan's insights exceptionally valuable and precious. As he aptly put it, hearing such remarkable analysis from Pathan turned out to be the highlight of his day, month, and even year.
"Gratitude fills me today, and it's not just any day — thanks to Sunny sir for the uplifting compliment. Truly made my year," Pathan posted on Twitter.
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