IPL 2020: Are Sunil Gavaskar’s words on Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli taken out of context?

IPL 2020: Are Sunil Gavaskar’s words on Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli taken out of context?
Sunil Gavaskar and Virat and Anushka

Former India cricketer and legend Sunil Gavaskar is trending on social media for all the wrong reasons. While commentating during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s game against Kings XI Punjab, Gavaskar in context for Virat Kohli said, “Inhone lockdown me toh bas Anushka ki bowling ki practice ki hain (he has only faced Anushka’s bowling in lockdown).”

A Twitter user misheard Sunil Gavaskar said, and many started slamming him across various social media platforms for his alleged ‘derogatory remarks’ on Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma.

Also Read | IPL 2020: Anushka Sharma gives felicitous reply to Sunil Gavaskar’s comment

Twitterati started posting against Gavaskar with messages like ‘remove him commentary panel’ along with hashtags like #BoycottGavaskar. 

Amidst negative comments, netizens also came in support of the Indian legend, claiming his remarks are taken out of context. After some research, it was found that Gavaskar and his co-commentator Aakash Chopra were talking about actual footage of Kohli and Anushka playing cricket at their home in Mumbai and they got no privacy.

Anushka Sharma’s reply on Sunil Gavaskar’s comment

The incident grabbed everyone’s eyeballs after Anushka Sharma broke her silence on this issue. The Bollywood actress took on her Instagram account and slammed Sunil Gavaskar through a story with a long message.

Her message read, “That, Mr Gavaskar, your message is distasteful is a fact, but I would love for you to explain why you thought of making such a sweeping statement on a wife accusing her of her husband’s game?

“I am sure over the years you have respected the private lives of every cricketer while commentating on the game. Don’t you think you should have an equal amount of respect for me and us? I am sure you can have many other words and sentences in your mind to use to comment on my husband’s performance from last night or are your words only relevant if you use my name in the process?

“It’s 2020 and things still don’t change for me. When will I stop getting dragged into cricket and stop being used to pass sweeping statements? Respected Mr Gavaskar, you are a legend whose name stands tall in this gentleman’s game. Just wanted to tell you what I felt when I heard you say this,” Sharma wrote in her Instagram story.

Hence, it can be inferred that Anushka Sharma took Gavaskar’s words in a sexist manner. Although Gavaskar meant to say that Virat Kohli has not practised batting in the last few months due to the lockdown. He was seen playing cricket with Anushka but we cannot call it a legitimate practice session (as the video suggests).

This issue won’t have caught Anushka’s attention, or she would have posted this if Twitter users didn’t exaggerate the instance.

Also Read | IPL 2020: ‘Remove him from commentary’ – Gavaskar faces criticism with a comment on Virat and Anushka