In a Royal Challengers Bengaluru match, veteran cricketer Sunil Gavaskar faced flak time for making a statement about Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma while commenting. Gavaskar said during the lockdown, Virat was practising with Anushka while commenting on the Indian as well as the RCB captain and Sharma's husband Virat Kohli. With many calling for Gavaskar's removal from the comment box for the remainder of the 2020 IPL season, the statement caused major outrage. Even Anushka Sharma took to social media to make a protest, for his crass remarks blasting Gavaskar.

Since then, the veteran cricketer has explained that he was talking about a video of Sharma and Kohli playing cricket at home during the lockdown that had gone viral. “Aakash (Chopra) and I were making commentary for the Hindi channel, as you learned from the commentary. And Aakash spoke of the fact that there was very little possibility for anyone to practice properly. That has actually shown in some of the players' rustiness in their first matches, "Gavaskar has said." He emphasised that he was not trying to be sexist, but that he was simply highlighting the lack of practise that players had because of the lockdown.

“Virat also had no practice, and when they saw them playing in their building compound, the only practice they had, and Anushka bowled to him. That is what I've been doing. That's the only thing about bowling, I didn't use any other words,” he said. He said, further clarifying," She was bowling at him, that's all. Where am I reproaching her? Where am I in this, being a sexist? ".

The clarification of Gavaskar has divided public opinion, especially on Twitter, where it has become an important point of discussion between men and women. Many, especially men, agreed on Twitter that the clarification given by Gavaskar was adequate and that he was not, indeed, sexist. Many are now calling for Sharma to apologise for writing "long posts" in an blatant attempt to victimise themselves.

Taking offence against everything and all these days is in vogue! The comment by Gavaskar was taken out of context and blown out of proportion! Microsoft https:/t.co/1ksaFSa7AUU

September 25, 2020- Manish Pupneja (@kaafilambaladka)

Women took a very different view of the incident, however. "Journalist Sunethra Choudhury said that the fact that Gavaskar mentioned Sharma at all, just to be funny, was a clear illustration of casual sexism, despite the" context "(the video). Not only women, but many men have taken Sharma 's hand, too.

By claiming that it wasn't a double sense, LOL people defend Gavaskar. Yeah, it was not double sense, but in the commentary box it was also addressed why Anushka. Although it's funny of some people teaching moral to others who used to insult the wife of their idol themselves.

(@LoyalMIfan) September 25 , 2020 Nitin MI

Sharma herself, meanwhile, hit trolls like Gavaskar, saying that she doesn't want her silence to be mistaken as her weakness, pointing out times when she was blamed for the Indian national team's success. "I'm not and will not be a pawn to be used by the opinions or opinions or biases of others, and next time you try to use my name to ridicule someone or the board or even my husband, do it with proof and evidence & leave me OUT of it I've led my life, built my own career with utmost integrity, and I'm not going to sacrifice it for anything. Perhaps, that's difficult for some to believe, because, I am a self-made, independent woman who only happens to be the wife of a cricketer. … and for the record, I drink coffee,” her post on Instagram read.