Up prior to now 30 November 2025 at 21:25 IST
Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at Shukri Conrad, announcing that the South Africa head coach should acknowledge the ‘grovel’ commentary.

Sunil Gavaskar, Shukri Conrad, and Temba Bavuma | Image:
ANI and AP
India vs South Africa: Pale India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said that the South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad should acknowledge the ‘grovel’ commentary that he frail within the click convention throughout the 2nd India vs South Africa Check and construct up for it, calling the commentary “ill-advised.”
South Africa ideal-swept India 2-0 within the Check series. Sometime of the 2nd Check at Guwahati, South Africa had a lead of 288 runs within the principle innings and can score without issues made India discover on, nonetheless they decided to bat all over again. When requested about their manner, Conrad said, “We wanted them (India) to really grovel.”
Speaking on the JioHotstar display ‘Cricket Stay’, Sunil Gavaskar addressed South Africa coach Shukri Conrad’s remarks, announcing Conrad’s feedback had been poorly chosen. He said India performed a key characteristic in South Africa’s return to international cricket after decades of isolation and additionally illustrious that in right this moment’s cricket panorama, Indian householders toughen South African cricket carefully–particularly thru the SA20 league, the put five of six groups are Indian-owned.
“You could say it was an ill-advised use of the word. We need to look back at South Africa’s re-entry into international cricket. It was the Indian Cricket Board that proposed South Africa’s readmission after more than 20 years of isolation, and their first international match on return was played in India,” the normal India batter said.
“When you consider the current landscape of South African cricket, especially the SA20, five out of the six franchises are Indian-owned. These owners are significantly supporting South African players–not just the international stars who are well taken care of, but the fringe players as well–giving them opportunities to build strong careers,” Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar said India and South Africa score long shared a aggressive nonetheless respectful cricketing relationship, with no historical previous of hostility. He said an apology is no longer wanted, nonetheless a straightforward clarification acknowledging the commentary went too some distance would possibly perchance perchance be ample, given the sturdy ties between the 2 cricketing international locations.
“Indian and South African cricket have shared a positive, collaborative relationship for decades. Across all the years and encounters between the two teams, the cricket has always been competitive and tough, but never hostile. I have witnessed nearly every India-South Africa contest, and it has always been hard, fair cricket. Nothing beyond that. So yes, it may have been an ill-advised remark–wrong time, wrong place,” Gavaskar said.
“I hope that in his next media interaction, he addresses it. I don’t think an apology is necessary; I personally don’t believe in apologies. But acknowledging it and making up for it would be accepted by everyone. These things happen. In the heat of the moment, you can get carried away and say something that goes a bit over the top. Given the strong connection between Indian and South African cricket over the last 30 years, I think he can simply clarify that he got a bit carried away,” he concluded.
Printed By : Aniket Datta
Printed On: 30 November 2025 at 21:25 IST




