Former Indian batsman Subramaniam Badrinath clarified that his controversial on-air remark was a misunderstood compliment meant to praise the sportsmanship of Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton. Badrinath stated that his phrase was a victim of literal translation. In conversational Tamil, expressions like "let him die there" are used as hyperbolic slang to describe extreme exhaustion or high-stakes pressure, not literal physical harm. He explained that the remark was a joke meant to emphasize how single-handedly dominant Krunal Pandya was at that moment in the match.
Badrinath emphasized that the viral clip completely omitted the second half of his live commentary, where he explicitly praised the opposing team. He stated that immediately after the comment, he openly commended Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton for prioritizing a rival player's health over a high-stakes match situation. Badrinath pointed out that he openly called for Fair Play points to be officially awarded to both Ryan Rickelton and the Mumbai Indians during the live broadcast.
"Let him die there... that’s not going to be my attitude. I will go and stretch him. Great gesture from Ryan Rickelton. Fair Play points should be given to him and MI for that. This is what I said on air, for people who don’t understand colloquial Tamil”, the post on X (formerly Twitter) stated.
What is controversy surrounding S. Badrinath and Krunal Pandya?
The controversy involves former Indian cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath, who faced severe public backlash for a live, on-air comment regarding Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Krunal Pandya during an IPL 2026 match. During the RCB vs Mumbai Indians (MI) clash, Krunal Pandya collapsed on the pitch after suffering severe, full-body cramps. Seeing his distress, MI wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton rushed over to help stretch Pandya's leg before the medical team arrived on the field. While commentating on the live broadcast for Star Sports Tamil, Badrinath reacted to Rickelton's sportsmanlike gesture by saying, “Instead of helping, he should've just let him die there with cramps so RCB loses.”
A video clip of the comment quickly went viral on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Fans and viewers heavily criticized Badrinath for being insensitive, unprofessional, and unsportsmanlike. Many demanded that the BCCI and Star Sports remove him from the commentary panel. He explained that the phrase "let him die there" (apdiye kedakkatum) is a common, exaggerated colloquial expression in Tamil used to denote extreme exhaustion or intense competitive situations. It was never meant literally.
