"No excuses for that shot" - Sunil Gavaskar lambasts Rishabh Pant over his manner of dismissal

Gavaskar lambasted Rishabh Pant for playing a reckless shot against Kagiso Rabada which led to his dismissal

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar slammed Rishabh Pant for getting out while playing a rash shot with the team in peril. The wicketkeeper-batter was dismissed for a duck in the first session of Day 3 in Johannesburg.

Pant came onto the pitch following the dismissal of Cheteshwar Pujara. The 24-year-old was up against a red-hot Kagiso Rabada, who was responsible for the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane as well.

After being beaten outside the off stump off his first delivery, Pant was unsettled by a rip snorter from the pacer the very next ball.

⚪ 3 FOR KG

Rabada grabs a third of the morning as Pant's edge is found

🇮🇳 @BCCI 167/5 after 38.3 overs

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In response, Pant chose to come down the track and attempt a wild slog off his next delivery. The ball caught the edge and the catch was safely pouched by Kyle Verreynne behind the stumps.

Gavaskar did not have any kind words for the wicket-keeper following the manner of his dismissal.

"You have got two new batsmen at the crease and then you saw that shot from Rishabh Pant. Forgettable, no excuses for that shot, no excuses. None of that nonsense about that being his natural game," Gavaskar said during the live broadcast.

The 72-year-old added:

"There is supposed to be a bit of responsibility shown. Because there are others taking the blows. There is guys like Rahane and Pujara who have taken it on their body. So you also fight it out. I tell you what, you won't get too many kind words in the changing room."

Pant has been going through a lean patch ever since the conclusion of the first World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. He scored a crucial 34-run knock in the first innings, but has largely struggled on the pacy, bouncy surfaces of South Africa.

"That was clever batting" - Sunil Gavaskar on Pujara-Rahane partnership

Earlier in the day, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane started from where they left things on Day 2. The duo kept the pressure on the Proteas by constantly punishing poor deliveries.

They registered a 111-run partnership for the third wicket in just 140 deliveries. Gavaskar said about the partnership:

"That was clever batting, clever aggression. They were not looking to hit every ball, mind you. There were some awkward deliveries they had to face."

That's Lunch on Day 3 of the 2nd #SAvIND Test!

103 runs for #TeamIndia in the first session
4 wickets for South Africa

We will be back for the second session shortly.

Scorecard ▶️ bit.ly/SAvIND-2ndTest https://t.co/BDUIS1oqxJ

India also lost the wicket of R Ashwin right on the cusp of the lunch break. Shardul Thakur and Hanuma Vihari are at the crease at the moment trying to stretch the lead, which currently reads at 174 runs.