Former Australian National Cricket Team players Mark Waugh and Michael Hussey were involved in a massive brawl over the dismissal of Rishabh Pant in the ongoing fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. The keeper-batsman made a bizarre comeback and invited a lot of criticism.
Rishabh Pant has become the main talking point about his dismissal in the fourth Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The wicketkeeper-batsman got out while trying to play a wild shot, especially when the team was in trouble.
Rishabh Pant did a great job at the start of day three, the keeper played very defensively in the first hour. He did all the hard work but wasted it with the way it turned out. He played a false shot against Scott Boland as the Indian national cricket team lost six wickets.
Scott Boland rounded the wicket and bowled a full ball. Rishabh Pant crouched down and tried to take the innings. He got a top edge and the ball flew to third man where the ball was safely fielded by Nathan Lyon as he was back in the hut after scoring 28 runs.
It's a terrible shot when his team needed him to make an innings – Mark Waugh on the wicket of Rishabh Pant
Mark Waugh came down with severe criticism for Rishabh Pant's “awful shot”. He said that although the batsman plays an aggressive brand of cricket, he has to have certain limits with the shots he plays. Speaking on Fox Cricket, he explained:
“It's a terrible blow when his team needed him to make an innings. I understand he's an aggressive player and I want to see him aggressive, but you still have to have some limits with the shots you play. There has to be some level of restraint and percentages in your favor and that shot to fall.”
I don't want him to change the way he plays – Michael Hussey backs Rishabh Pant
Michael Hussey, however, came to the support of Rishabh Pant, saying that the batsman is at his best when he is clear and free and plays in his natural way. He said he was disappointed with the keeper-batter shot played, but he should continue to play it. He explained:
“It's a tough situation because it's not a great shot and it's not a great look, especially for an Indian team that's looking to fight hard. But you don't want to put any doubt in his mind, he's at his best when he's clear and loose and playing his natural way I would be disappointed with the shot, I'm sure he would be disappointed with the shot but I don't want him to change the way he plays.
That's why you're not a head coach, just an assistant coach – Mark Waugh on Michael Hussey
Hussey also mentioned that if he were a manager, he would accept a player going out in this manner. This caused Mark Waugh to sledge him, saying that was why he was the assistant coach and not the head coach. He added:
“That's why you're not a head coach, just an assistant coach.”
Michael Hussey was part of the Chennai Super Kings support staff in the IPL. He was also the assistant coach for the England men's team in their victorious 2022 T20 World Cup campaign.