With the India-England Test series is going on, many Indian cricketers and former players are making time to catch live action at Wimbledon.
On Tuesday, former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar was in attendance at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club when he spoke to Star Sports and JioCinema.
The India legend drew an interesting comparison between Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz.
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Gavaskar, who was present at the All England Club, spoke about the thrill both athletes bring to their respective sports. Let's see what Gavaskar had to say.
What makes Pant and Alcaraz similar, according to Gavaskar?
Gavaskar pointed out Alcaraz’s creative shot selection, and his tendency to go for unexpected shots. He likened this flair to Pant’s cricket style.
“Alcaraz is playing well and has all the shots. He can be a showman at times, trying to play drop shots when he should be finishing a point. But that’s what makes him exciting. He is like Rishabh Pant. When Pant is batting, you can expect the unexpected. Alcaraz is similar to Pant,” he said.
Interestingly, Gavaskar admitted he visits Wimbledon more often than Lord’s, unless India is playing there.
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"When I am in England this time, I will watch Wimbledon, but I won’t pay a visit to Lord’s if India is not playing," he added.
This isn't the first time Gavaskar has openly admired tennis. He shared his rooting interest for Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a historic 25th Grand Slam title this year.
"I would like Novak Djokovic to win because it would be his 25th Grand Slam title. Nobody has won 25 majors, so that would be fantastic. My heart says Djokovic but my mind says Alcaraz," he concluded.
What happened to Rishabh Pant during the 3rd Test at Lord’s?
While fans admired Pant’s energy off the field at Wimbledon, there was a concerning moment on the field. On Thursday, July 10, during the second session of the 3rd Test at Lord’s, Pant had to leave the field after being struck on his left hand.
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Although medical staff tried to manage the injury on the spot, Pant couldn’t continue. He was replaced behind the stumps by Dhruv Jurel, who isn’t part of the playing XI but stepped in as a substitute wicketkeeper.