I just want Rishabh Pant to make sure that he doesn't allow MS Dhoni to put his arms around his shoulders: Sunil Gavaskar

MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rishabh Pant’s Delhi Capitals locked horns against each other in the second match of the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). While Pant has always had immense respect for the legendary MS Dhoni, Sunil Gavaskar has a piece of advice for Pant.

Gavaskar stated that if there is no social distancing and Dhoni tries to put his arm over Pant’s shoulder, the Delhi skipper should avoid it. Gavaskar also opined that the clash between Delhi and Chennai will be an exciting one.

The cricketer-turned-commentator further went on to say that if Dhoni puts his arm over Pant’s shoulder, it might be a signal that Dhoni is the ‘big guy’ and Pant is the ‘little guy’.

“It’s going to bring to the table an exciting game for sure. The one thing I would like Rishabh Pant to do when he goes out for the toss is that if there is no social distancing, I just want him to make sure that he doesn’t allow MS Dhoni to put his arms around his shoulders. That sometimes can be a sign of somebody who is saying ‘Listen, you’re a little guy, I’m the big guy’. So that little worry signal he should try and avoid,” said Gavaskar in a chat on Star Sports.

“Rishabh Pant should walk a little distance away from MS Dhoni,” says Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar further stated that Rishabh Pant should walk some distance away from MS Dhoni as the match between the two sides is a big one. Adding that Pant is not someone who is overawed by the situation, Gavaskar went on to say that respect should be shown off the cricket field. The 71-year-old concluded by stating that the Delhi Capitals side should not get overawed by Dhoni’s presence.

“He should walk a little distance away from MSD because now this is a big match. He should not be overawed by anything. Rishabh Pant hardly ever is overawed by anything. My feeling is that there might be just that little bit of respect. But it has to be off the field. On the field, you have to play your best and Pant has to now see that he has his team don’t get overawed by the aura of MSD. They go and play their natural game, aggressive game,” concluded Gavaskar.