Ravi Shastri Trolls KKR, Takes Subtle Swipe at Dinesh Karthik Over Shubman Gill's Exit

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Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has stirred up a lively exchange in the commentary box by taking a playful yet pointed dig at Dinesh Karthik and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) over their decision to let go of Shubman Gill.

The remarks came in the aftermath of Gill's sensational performance in the second Test at Edgbaston, where the young India captain scored 269 and 161 across two innings, earning widespread acclaim.

Shastri, in awe of Gill's masterclass, compared his batting to that of Don Bradman. "In both innings at Edgbaston, Shubman batted like Bradman," he declared. Lauding Gill's leadership as well, Shastri said, "India made a comeback because of captain and batter Shubman. I'd give his captaincy 10 out of 10." He also praised the decision to play debutant Akash Deep, calling it a "brilliant call" and a sign of Gill's growth as a proactive leader.

But Shastri's most headline-grabbing moment came when he subtly jabbed at Karthik, who captained KKR during Gill's early years in the IPL. After Karthik spoke about Gill's rise from batting at No. 6 or 7 to requesting an opportunity to open, Shastri interjected, "DK said a lot about promoting Shubman as an opener... and then DK's team released him!"

Gill was signed by KKR after his standout performance in the 2018 U-19 World Cup but was let go ahead of the 2022 IPL season. He was subsequently picked by Gujarat Titans, where he flourished.

Karthik didn't stay silent, reminding Shastri of his own exclusion from the Test team under the coach's tenure. Recalling his last Test in 2018 at Lord's, Karthik quipped, "Nasser Hussain told his coach his time was up. In my case, the coach came to my room and told me I was done."

The banter between the two ex-cricketers lit up the broadcast, with fans thoroughly enjoying the back-and-forth. But in the middle of it all, one thing was clear - Shubman Gill's rise is now impossible to ignore, and the decision to release him continues to raise eyebrows.