Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara were avoidable dismissals: Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar dissected the dismissals of India’s top order after second day of the World Test Championship final against Australia. The top-ranked Test side were reduced to 50/3 with the trio of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara not going beyond the 20 run mark.

By close of play, India were struggling at 151/5 and trailed Australia by 318 runs. Ajinkya Rahane (29*) and KS Bharat (5*) remained alive at stumps.

Read | Top-order failures put India on the back foot against Australia

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Having dismissed Australia for 469 runs with Steve Smith and Travis Head scoring centuries and Mohammed Siraj emerging as the top bowler, it was on the batters to do their part in the fight.

Rohit and Gill started brightly but in the sixth over, Cummins trapped the India skipper leg before. Three balls later, Scott Boland castled Gill who offered no shot. It was a repeat telecast when Pujara attempted to let the ball go off Cameron Green’s bowling.

“I think it’s a couple of misjudgements from probably like Shubman Gill, who has been in great form. Losing him was a big blow. Rohit Sharma has been not in the best of touches in the IPL. So, him playing across the line was not that much of a surprise. But again Pujara, not quite covering his stumps and getting out. So these were the dismissals that could have been avoided,” said Gavaskar on Sky Sports.

“But to Australia’s credit, they bowled a much fuller length, and got the batters into thinking that the line was such that most batters – however good you are, that off stump, there is always a little bit of uncertainty,” he added.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri also slammed Gill and Pujara for making rookie mistakes. “See, Shubman Gill being a little lazy with his footwork. He will learn; he is still young, but Pujara will be very disappointed seeing that. It should have been a little further towards the ball and across the line of the ball. That’s why they keep telling you – know where your off stump is,” he said.

With the trio not firing and making silly mistakes, Gavaskar lauded former India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane played a gritty 29 run knock from 71 balls. After surviving a no-ball from Cummins, Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja (48) stitched a 71-run stand.

“He has been in very good form in the IPL. We have seen a different Rahane. Somebody who is prepared to take the attack to the bowling. He used to do that earlier on as well. But you know after a while, when you are one of the main batters, the responsibility can be that you curb a few shots.”

“But it’s almost like he has been reborn as a Test player. He last played a Test match in January 2022 against New Zealand if I’m correct. Then to come back now the way he has, he is looking good. He was a little bit lucky with that no-ball being called. Every batter needs that little bit of luck. I’m hoping that he can carry on and take India to a total that is closer to Australia’s,” Gavaskar said.

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