Sunil Gavaskar defended Rishabh Pant after his abuse in live interview after LSG’s defeat. He said that broadcasters should give the losing captain time to calm down before the interview.
New Delhi: Former Team India captain and great batsman Sunil Gavaskar has come to the defense of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant. After the defeat against Rajasthan Royals in Lucknow in IPL 2026, a video of Pant went viral, in which he abused in a live interview. Now Gavaskar has raised questions on the broadcasters on this matter.
LSG was out of the playoff race after a crushing seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Rajasthan Royals, captained by Riyan Parag. This defeat took the team to the bottom position in the points table. Pant was very disappointed after the match and out of frustration, the ‘F-word’ came out of his mouth during the live interview.
“With the team we have, we know we can win this. No matter what, we’re very confident as a team and individually. It didn’t go our way, and everyone knows that. But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re a s*** good team.”
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This defeat of LSG happened at a time when there was already a lot of pressure on Rishabh Pant. He was dropped from the vice-captaincy of the Test team and the ODI squad for the series against Afghanistan. Since then, speculations have intensified regarding his place in the national team and his future as captain in the Lucknow franchise.
Broadcasters vs players: Gavaskar raised questions on interview rules
A debate broke out on social media after Rishabh Pant’s abusive language during his interview with former West Indies pacer and commentator Ian Bishop. However, the Bishop immediately apologized. But former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar diverted attention from Pant in this matter and raised questions on the broadcasting schedule.
Gavaskar has Mid-day’s own columns While defending Pant, he wrote that broadcasters should avoid immediately interviewing the captain of the losing team. He said that the LSG captain’s emotional state, fatigue and pressure caused the ‘F-bomb’ to be accidentally dropped during the live interview with Ian Bishop.
Gavaskar, who has played 125 Tests, wrote, “Rishabh Pant’s use of the ‘F’ word in the post-game interview makes one think about whether it is necessary to interview the captain of that team just minutes after losing the match? If the match had ended in the last over, then the captain’s frustration would be even greater. And if he is also the wicketkeeper, who is running to the stumps on every second ball, and that too in this heat, then it would be his frustration. Can increase further.”
“It might be a better idea to talk to the ‘Player of the Match’ of the winning team and give some time to the captain of the losing team so that he can put some water on his face and calm himself down, and then come for the interview.”
“Anyway, the presentation party takes a while to prepare, so giving a few more minutes to the captain of the losing team can ensure that such things do not happen again,” he added.
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In IPL, often the losing captain is taken for a post-match interview immediately after the end of the match. In contrast, in international cricket, especially in big tournaments, the rules are a bit lenient. There the captain is given a break of 10 to 15 minutes to understand the result and collect himself, after which he takes part in the post-match presentation ceremony.
‘Rishabh Pant is one of the happiest players’
Talking further on Rishabh Pant’s viral anger, Sunil Gavaskar said that Pant’s nature is completely different from such frustration. He said that the pressure of IPL, especially after joining Lucknow Super Giants, seems to be taking a toll on his natural jovial style.
Gavaskar said, “Rishabh Pant is one of the funniest guys in the game who loves to play the game in his own unique style. And the fact that he also lost his cool cements the point that the captain of the losing team should be given a few more minutes to collect his thoughts, rather than having a microphone shoved in his face before he even gets a chance to get his breath back.”
He finally asked, “Is this too much to ask?”
Questions are being raised over Rishabh Pant’s captaincy as Lucknow Super Giants failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Sanjiv Goenka’s Lucknow franchise bought Pant for Rs 27 crore in the 2024 mega auction. But the marquee player is struggling to replicate his match-winning form. Questions are also being raised on his leadership and there are reports that LSG management is considering making major changes in the team and making a fresh start for the next cycle.
Also read: IPL 2026: Tom Moody hints at change in captaincy for LSG after poor performance