A dejected former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar scolded Indian batter Virat Kohli (46) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (0) for their “poor” shot selection during the fifth day of the recently concluded ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023. Gavaskar, who was rightly not pleased with Kohli and Jadeja’s shot selection, lashed out at them as far as the selection of his words was concerned.
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First two batters to be dismissed on Day 5, Kohli and Jadeja walking back to the pavilion within three deliveries in the seventh over of the day substantially hurt India’s chances right away. Having already lost captain Rohit Sharma (43) and batter Cheteshwar Pujara (27) to unbelievable shots on Day 4, India didn’t deserve to seal a record Test run-chase after as many as four premier batters gifted their wickets away.
Sunil Gavaskar Scolds Virat Kohli And Ravindra Jadeja For Poor Shot Selection
While Jadeja had just faced a ball before getting out to what was a decent delivery from Australia fast bowler Scott Boland (3/46), Sharma, Pujara and Kohli did let themselves and the team down on the back of not doing justice to their potential.
Speaking to host broadcaster Star Sport Network after the match got over at Kennington Oval today, Gavaskar couldn’t come to terms with the fact that India lost seven wickets for just 55 runs on a day where they stepped on to the ground in the hope of writing history.
“The batting was shambles. It was ridiculous. How do you expect to win? They didn’t even last a session. Seven wickets in one session with this batting lineup. I mean, come on [sighs]. It was poor [shot] selection by most of them.”
Speaking particularly of Kohli, Gavaskar believed that his “pretty ordinary” shot could’ve been a ramification of him approaching a personal milestone in the form of what would’ve been a 29th Test half-century. One run short of the 50-run mark, Kohli chased a full and wide Boland delivery only to edge the ball to Australia vice-captain Steven Smith at second slip.
“Pretty ordinary shot outside the off-stump. Maybe he [Virat Kohli] was conscious of the fact that he was nearing a half-century. It happens, at times. He didn’t play this shot all this while. But played it suddenly.”
India Going Down Without A Fight Was Disappointing To Say the Least
280 runs. Seven wickets. Day 5.
All of these were quintessential ingredients of what could’ve been a riveting day of Test cricket. Irrespective of the result, a proper Day 5 fight by India could have converted this title-deciding day into a memorable one for fans of this format.
That being said, yet another Indian batting collapse on the big stage highlighted why Australia deserved to lift the mace after finishing at the top of the points table.
