Ravi Shastri Body Shames Fan on Live TV, Gets Slammed on Twitter

During IND vs NZ Test Day 3, Ravi Shastri found himself in hot water after an off-the-cuff remark made during commentary. The former India head coach referred to a fan spotted enjoying ice cream in the stands as a 'big unit' and a 'big bloke', sparking criticisms online.

The unsavoury comment came during a light-hearted conversation between Shastri and fellow commentator Sunil Gavaskar, who also chimed in, joking about the fan 'hiding' his ice cream because of family disapproval.

"It is hot. You really need that ice cream. But someone is hiding behind. He is a big unit. Where is the ice cream boy?" Shastri said after the camera caught the fan enjoying his dessert.

"He is actually hiding it," Gavaskar responded. "Because someone in his family must have told him that you should not be eating ice cream."

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"There he goes and out comes the cone. Ice cream has disappeared and the cone remains," Ravi Shastri continued. "He is a big bloke. He is tucking into it. It is really hot."

Fans call out Ravi Shastri for 'fat shaming' spectator during IND vs NZ Day 3

While intended as banter, Ravi Shastri's remarks were seen as insensitive, and the internet quickly responded. Many social users accused him of body-shaming the spectator, calling the remark inappropriate and unnecessary during a professional broadcast.

"Ravi Shastri is wild. You didn't need to fat shame that guy on live television," one Twitter user wrote. "Let him enjoy his ice cream man."

"Disgusting from @RaviShastriOfc. Fat shaming someone on live television is not cool!" another wrote, tagging BCCI in the post.

"Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar my god. Such a menace these both are," another post read.

Shastri, no stranger to controversy, has not publicly addressed the backlash yet, and it is unlikely that BCCI will take any action for the comments.

On the cricket front, India has been putting up a strong fight on Day 3 of the ongoing Test. After restricting New Zealand to 402 in their first innings, India launched an aggressive reply, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring 35 runs before falling to Ajaz Patel's clever bowling.

Captain Rohit Sharma continued India's momentum with a brisk half-century, while Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan carried on the charge after his freak dismissal. India ended Day 3 on a sour note after Kohli's last-ball dismissal, with the scoreline reading 231/3.

Still trailing by 128 runs, India will look towards Sarfaraz and the oncoming KL Rahul to post a respectable total to get something out of the first Test match of the IND vs NZ series.