Gavaskar backs Pant to bounce back following loss vs DC
What's the story
Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has backed Rishabh Pant to learn from his mistakes.
This comes after Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a disappointing defeat against Delhi Capitals (DC).
Despite the loss, Ashutosh Sharma's brilliant unbeaten 66 off 31 balls helped DC clinch a thrilling win in their IPL 2025 opener.
The match was filled with high-scoring action and pressure situations for both sides.
Learning from mistakes
Gavaskar praises Pant's intelligence
Gavaskar, who was in the commentary box during the match, defended Pant's performance.
He said, "I think he knows. He actually mentioned in the post-match interview that you often learn more from your mistakes than from your successes."
Gavaskar further stressed that this is just the first match and there are 13 more to go.
He said Pant will improve his performance as an intelligent cricketer who learns valuable insights about his batting and captaincy.
Captaincy under scrutiny
Pant's challenging debut as LSG captain
Pant's debut as LSG captain and player was anything but ideal. He scored a six-ball duck, outsmarted by former DC teammate Kuldeep Yadav.
His performance behind the stumps was also not up to the mark as he missed a stumping in the last over which would have sealed the game for LSG.
His decision making also came under scrutiny following LSG's defeat, raising questions about Pant's captaincy skills in high-pressure situations.
Match highlights
Gavaskar lauds Sharma's match-winning performance
Meanwhile, Gavaskar also lauded Ashutosh Sharma's brilliant innings that took DC home.
He remembered the crowd's reaction when an appeal against Mohit Sharma was referred, and the decision was given in favor of the batter—'not out.'
Gavaskar called it a "fabulous finish," and said, "This is exactly what we've come to expect from the IPL, yet we always crave more."
He added these last-over thrillers are what he calls BOLD: Breath-taking, Outstanding, Lightning, and Devastating.
Post-match comments
Pant reflects on missed opportunities
In the post-match presentation, Pant looked back at a missed stumping chance in the last over that could have altered the game's outcome.
He said, "Definitely luck plays a part in this game and if it could have missed his (Mohit Sharma's) pads, it was a chance for stumping."
Despite these hurdles, Pant is hopeful of his team's performance and is keen to grow as captain and player.