On top-order flop, Gavaskar said, Rohit and Virat could have used their legs better

1 of 1

New Delhi . India batting great Sunil Gavaskar was left disappointed with the team’s top-order collapse during the Asia Cup tie against Pakistan, saying veteran batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were on their toes against Pakistan left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. Could have used better.

India were reduced to 66-4 in 15 overs, Shaheen dismissed Rohit and Kohli, followed by Haris Rauf to dismiss Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill. Smart innings from Ishan Kishan (82) and Hardik Pandya (87) helped India post a competitive 266 in 48.5 overs.

The left-right-handed batting pair reeled under pressure and put on a crucial 138-run partnership for the fifth wicket before the match was called off due to incessant rain after India’s innings. Gavaskar said, “Both the batsmen (Rohit and Virat) could have used their feet a little better. There was a big gap between Rohit Sharma’s bat and pad.

“Shreyas Iyer was a bit unlucky. That was a cracking hook shot but it went straight to the fielder. Had the fielder been 5 meters left or right, it would have been a boundary. Shubman Gill, for some strange reason, looked very buried ”

Gavaskar said on India Today, “It didn’t look like he was playing his natural game, it looked like he was in some kind of uncertainty around him. That’s why he didn’t take his account for a long time.” Opened it and he hardly looked like the Shubman Gill we know.”

Kishan, who initially batted at number five in an unfamiliar position at number five, scored 82 runs from 81 balls in a counter-attacking effort, including nine fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 101.23, a An effort that earned Gavaskar praise.

“I think what he showed was that an opening batsman can bat anywhere in the lower order. It’s not easy the other way around, where a middle order batsman can come in and open the batting.”

“It’s not easy, but an opening batsman can be accommodated anywhere in the lower order, and he brings a left-handed dimension to the Indian batting line-up. If you look at the top four, they are all righties and Then the left-hander comes in, so it makes it a bit difficult for the bowlers.”

“Also, he has amazing ability to accelerate. He looks small but he hits hard. He hit some big sixes and the way he batted was really impressive because normally he Likes to move after bowling. But whenever the need arose, he was alert, recognized and felt what the situation was.”

Gavaskar also praised Pandya for his calm and controlled batting as well as guiding Kishan during the crucial fifth-wicket partnership. “Of course, at the other end was Hardik Pandya who captained Gujarat Titans. So he knows what the situation is, how to adjust his game and he was guiding him. So it was a very, very good partnership Without this partnership India would have scored 175 or 200.”

“Absolutely unbelievable. Yes, I think no amount of praise goes down the drain for the way he guided Ishan Kishan through that partnership. And of course, scored a boundary himself, one and two He showed that, you know how to rise to the occasion in a crisis situation, that was a brilliant innings.”(IANS)

read this also – Click to read the news of your state / city before the newspaper