Sunil Gavaskar fumes on-air at RCB time-wasting, blasts triple medical timeout: ‘Are we going to see this again?’

Sunil Gavaskar fumed at RCB over time-wasting as Rasikh Salam Dar’s repeated cramps halted play against Mumbai Indians

Updated on: Apr 13, 2026, 07:16:43 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar lost his cool during commentary on Sunday after Royal Challengers Bengaluru took three medical time-outs in the final phase of their IPL 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. Accusing RCB of time-wasting, Gavaskar urged the player to step off the field, get treatment, and return later.

Sunil Gavaskar wasn't impressed with RCB taking three medical time-outs (AFP)

The incident unfolded in the 16th over of Mumbai’s chase when fast bowler Rasikh Salam Dar pulled up during his run-up for the first ball. The heat and humidity in Mumbai appeared to cause cramps, prompting him to call for assistance as the physio rushed out. RCB effectively used a brief stoppage.

Although Rasikh was back on his feet quickly, he suffered discomfort again after being hit for a six by Sherfane Rutherford off the first delivery. The physio returned to work on his left leg, raising concerns over the slowing over-rate.

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The pacer responded by dismissing Naman Dhir a ball later, but went down once more after the fifth delivery, again due to cramps. Jitesh Sharma and captain Rajat Patidar rushed in to help stretch his leg before the physio arrived for a third time.

The repeated stoppages left Gavaskar visibly frustrated, as he felt the RCB management should have asked Rasikh to leave the field, receive proper treatment, and allow another bowler to complete the over instead of prolonging delays.

“Just go off the field, get treatment, and then come back. Whatever it is, the remaining deliveries should be bowled by another bowler. But again, now this is what—the third time the physio has come in. Are we going to see the same thing over and over again?” he said on air.

As Rasikh received treatment for the third time, the on-field umpires glanced towards the RCB dugout, where head coach Andy Flower was on his feet. The bowler was eventually taken off, with Romario Shepherd completing the over.

Rasikh returned to the field before the final over, which Patidar initially intended him to bowl. However, the umpires intervened, reminding the team that he was ineligible to bowl as he had not spent sufficient time back on the field after his injury break. Shepherd ultimately bowled the final over.

RCB returned to winning ways with an 18-run victory in a high-scoring thriller.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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