‘You sledge us right?’ - Australian Prime Minister asks Rishabh Pant in Sydney
Pant, who is just playing his second overseas Test series, has been in the headlines this series for his verbal game played from behind the stumps.
Australian Prime Ministers are known for their love towards the game of cricket. John Howard is still remembered for his soft corner for the game. The current incumbent Scott Morrison recently urged the governing body of cricket in Australia – Cricket Australia – to restore people’s trust in the national sport which has seen more lows than highs in the just concluded year.
On Tuesday, PM Morrison hosted both the Australian and Indian teams at his official residence Kirribilli House in Sydney on the occasion of the New Year’s Day ahead of the fourth and final Test of the four-match series the two nations have locked horns over. The Australian premier and his wife Jenny were seen greeting the players and among them were Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant who Morrison welcomed with a witty tone.
‘We like competitive cricket’
As Pant shook hands with Morrison, the Australian premier asked, “Aah yes. You sledge us right?” All present on the occasion, including the premier’s wife, Cheteshwar Pujara, who was waiting behind Pant, and Team India’s administrative manager Sunil Subramaniam introducing the players burst into laughter. The premier too was in splits and so was Pant, though embarrassed. Morrison then told Pant, “You are very welcome. We like competitive game.” Jenny Morrison then shook hands with Pant saying it was lovely meeting him.
Pant, who is just playing his second overseas Test series, has been in the headlines this series for his verbal game played from behind the stumps. His most recent act was against Australian captain and his opposite in the opponent team, Tim Paine, in Melbourne. After being sledged by Paine for getting dropped from the ODI squads against the Aussies, Pant came back the next day taunting Paine as a “temporary captain” who could only do talking.
Pant was also cautioned by the on-field umpire after his ‘revenge’ against Paine. In the first Test in Adelaide, too, Pant was heard taunting Usman Khawaja after the latter played a blockathon, saying not all could become Pujara, the match’s centurion.
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