Rishabh Pant was dismissed attempting a ramp shot while falling over on the third morning of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, leading to extreme reactions.
India started day three at 164-5 after suffering a late collapse on the second evening. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja started steadily for the first 40 minutes of the day or so before Pant perished attempting one of his typical falling ramp shots.
Scott Boland was bowling the tenth over of the morning when Pant first attempted a scoop off a length ball going across him from over the wicket. He missed it as the ball hit him on the body, making him fall over to the off side. That didn't deter Pant though as he repeated the shot the very next ball despite Boland having changed his angle to around the wicket.
This time he got an outside edge that flew straight down the throat of the deep third, leaving India in a spot of bother at 191-6.
Sunil Gavaskar was clearly incensed at the manner of his dismissal, calling it "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" on ABC Sport. "You've got two fielders there and you still go for that. You missed the previous shot and look where you've been caught. You've been caught at deep third man. That is throwing away your wicket.
"Not in the situation that India was. You have to understand the situation as well. You cannot say that that's your natural game. I'm sorry. That is not your natural game. That is a stupid shot. That is letting your team down badly!
"He should not be going into that (India’s) dressing room - he should be going into the other dressing room," he said.
Pant made 28 on a pitch which Jasprit Bumrah had called a "Christmas present for batters" before the start of the third day's play. India eventually went into lunch at 244-7 and are 261-7 after 80 overs at the time of writing, still trailing by 213 runs.
This was Pant's sixth outing in the series and he's yet to cross 50, averaging 20.66 so far.
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