Shastri got the names of the defending IPL champions mixed up and made a gaffe that earned him the brunt of social media jokes. Shastri introduced Hardik as the Gujarat Giants captain during the introduction of the two captains.
Gujarat Titans is the name of the Gujarat-based franchise in the IPL, and Gujarat Giants is the name of the team that recently competed in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
The millions of fans who tuned in to watch the first match of this year’s IPL wasted no time in slamming Shastri on social media. Some questioned how Shastri, whose love of alcohol is well known, could be high in a dry state, while others claimed he was still suffering from WPL hangover.
This is not the first time Ravi Shastri has erred during a coin toss before a big game. He made a similar error in the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan and was mercilessly mocked by fans at the time.
When Rohit Sharma flipped the coin, Babar Azam called tails, but Ravi Shastri announced that the Pakistan captain had called heads, and he had to be corrected by match referee Andy Pycroft.
