Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill fell for single-digit scores in 3rd Test in Brisbane.
Sunil Gavaskar was unhappy with the shot selection and dismissals of young batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill on day 3 of the ongoing third BGT 2024 Test in Brisbane on December 16, 2024.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was anticipated to provide India with a strong start alongside KL Rahul. However, he was dismissed for four runs on the second delivery of the innings, caught by Mitchell Marsh at square leg.
"It’s not the best of shots. You are facing 445 runs, then I think it’s important for you to get your eye in. It wasn’t even a half volley, and you have tried to flick that ball away, and it’s a simple catch. Very good field placement and very good captaincy by Pat Cummins for sure. But that’s not the best of shots that you expect from an opening bat, particularly when your opposition has got 445. Your job now for that one hour was to try and stay at the crease. Jaiswal, very very disappointing," said Gavaskar on ABC Sport.
This was the third time Mitchell Starc dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ongoing BGT 2024 Test series. Gavaskar questioned Jaiswal's approach, emphasizing the need for practicality, especially against the new ball.
"It’s just all very well to be positive. But you also gotta be practical, and when the ball is new. It’s the first over; you can’t be looking to score 25 runs off the first over. It wasn’t even a half volley. I can understand if it was a half volley; sometimes you are not able to keep it along the ground. It was a length ball, you were never going to be able to keep that ball down," added Gavaskar.
Next in line for some lashing was Shubman Gill, who was caught in slips off Mitchell Starc. The Australian left-armer produced a decent length delivery well outside the off stump, and Gill hit a powerful booming drive away from his body. The ball went off the outside edge, but Mitchell Marsh leaped to his left at the gully and caught it out of thin air.
Gill going for such an expansive shot on just his third ball of the inning, didn’t impress Sunil Gavaskar, with the India great saying players need to keep their "image" in the dressing room.
"Leave your image in the dressing room. Certain shots are dangerous at the start of your innings before you are set, and you don't have the measure of what the wicket is doing. Keep all those shots in your back pocket. Take them out when you are 30-40-50 not out, then can you get those shots again," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Speaking further about Gill, Gavaskar said, “Not very good shot selection, you could say. It was a very good catch, so there was a little bit of bad luck as well over there. But he could have left that ball alone; it would have gone harmlessly to the wicketkeeper. Gill is now back in the dugout.”
Australia is firmly ahead in the Gabba Test against India, and the hosts can go 2-1 up in the five-match series. Day 3 was hit by rain, but India fell far behind in the game.