Why Sunil Gavaskar sees Rishabh Pant in Carols Alcaraz: Expect the unexpected

Dubai: They play different sports and wield different weapons — a bat and a racquet — but to Sunil Gavaskar, Rishabh Pant and Carlos Alcaraz are cut from the same cloth. As Indian cricket stars flocked to Wimbledon 2025, Gavaskar offered a rare cross-sport comparison, likening the two athletes for their unpredictability and flair.

“Alcaraz is moving around so well, and he’s got all the shots in the book. He can be a bit of a showman sometimes, trying those drop shots when you think he should be finishing the point,” Gavaskar said. “But that’s what people come to watch — it’s like watching Rishabh Pant. With Pant, you have to expect the unexpected. Similarly, with Alcaraz, you’ve got to expect the unexpected. That’s what makes him so exciting.”

Gavaskar, who celebrated his 76th birthday on Thursday, has long been a Wimbledon regular. “Every time I am in England around this time, I go to Wimbledon, but I hardly go to Lord’s if India isn’t playing there,” he said. “So yes, one could say I come here more often than I go to Lord’s.”

While Gavaskar hopes Novak Djokovic wins his 25th Grand Slam title, his “mind” is backing Alcaraz. The Spaniard, after outclassing Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the quarter-finals, is set to face American Taylor Fritz in the semis on Friday.

Among the famous faces spotted courtside this week were Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Deepak Chahar, and Pant himself — adding cricketing gravitas to Wimbledon’s star-studded Royal Box. Their presence has underlined Wimbledon’s ever-growing appeal beyond tennis, especially among elite athletes and entertainers.

For Pant, being a fan rather than a player is a rare pleasure. “The first thing that comes to mind is excitement,” he said of attending Wimbledon. “We’re always playing cricket, but here, you get to watch someone who can inspire you. And I finally get to dress well! We’re usually in shorts and T-shirts, so wearing a suit feels good sometimes.”

Pant named Roger Federer as his all-time favourite player. “His backhand — I would watch it again and again. That was something that really brought me to the court.”

Among current players, he’s drawn to Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, both of whom he finds “inspiring” for their grit and ability to fight back under pressure.

The admiration comes at a time when Pant is enjoying a stirring return to form. In the ongoing Test series against England, he became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a century in both innings of a Test match on English soil. However, the 27-year-old suffered a setback on Thursday when he walked off the field during the first day of the third Test at Lord’s with a finger injury. Dhruv Jurel took over wicketkeeping duties, and the team’s medical staff is assessing Pant’s condition.

Despite the injury, the buzz around Pant hasn’t dimmed — on the field or off it. As Gavaskar sees it, Pant and Alcaraz aren’t just performers; they’re artists of instinct, turning unpredictability into theatre.

— With inputs from agencies