During the 3rd ODI between India and South Africa on December 6, 2025, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar engaged in light-hearted banter with comedian Kapil Sharma, sparking laughter with his remark, "Batting ke coaching ke liye koi nahi aata". The exchange took place during the 'Cricket Live' show, where Sharma, along with Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel, shared the stage with Gavaskar.
Sharma playfully inquired about Gavaskar's feelings regarding India finally winning the toss, after losing 20 consecutive tosses in ODIs. Gavaskar responded with humor, stating that if no one seeks his advice for batting, he couldn't possibly coach anyone on winning the toss. He elaborated that while predicting the opposition captain's call in the first game is impossible, one could decipher their pattern in subsequent matches.
Gavaskar's comment came during a moment of levity amidst the ongoing ODI series. India won the toss and chose to field first in the third ODI, held in Visakhapatnam. The Indian team then proceeded to bowl South Africa out for 270, with Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna each taking four wickets.
Beyond this humorous exchange, Gavaskar recently addressed a more serious matter concerning the relationship between Indian and South African cricket. He criticized South Africa's head coach Shukri Conrad for using the word "grovel" to describe his team's strategy during a recent Test series. Gavaskar emphasized the historical and collaborative bond between the two cricketing nations, highlighting India's significant role in South Africa's re-entry into international cricket. He noted that the first tour South Africa undertook after their readmission was to India.
Gavaskar further pointed out the substantial Indian investment in South African cricket, particularly through the SA20 league, where most franchises are Indian-owned. He suggested that Conrad should acknowledge India's contribution to South African cricket and hopes that Conrad would address his comment in his next media interaction. Gavaskar clarified that he didn't believe an apology was necessary, but an acknowledgement of Indian cricket's role would be well-received. Dale Steyn, another prominent figure in South African cricket, distanced himself from Conrad's "grovel" remark, deeming it unnecessary.
