Gill, Rahul will be thinking that they messed up: Aakash Chopra

India reached 300 for 5 by stumps on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Sunday, August 23. The innings saw contributions from multiple batters, but two dismissals drew particular attention for their similarity in execution and the manner in which the batters fell.

Aakash Chopra, the former India batter and cricket analyst, examined both dismissals and highlighted how the two Indian batters – skipper Shubman Gill and vice-captain KL Rahul – made identical errors in judgement. Chopra stated that both Rahul and Gill had been building their innings before falling to loose deliveries outside the off stump.

“KL Rahul was taking his time, and then he played two good drives. Then he got out playing a shot to a loose ball outside off. Shubman Gill also got out similarly, and both would be thinking that they messed up because they were loose balls, and their eyes lit up that they got a chance to hit a four with a cut,” Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.

The missed opportunity in India’s first innings

Chopra reflected on the missed opportunity for both batters to build larger innings. He emphasised that neither batter knew when they would get another chance to bat in the series, making the premature dismissals particularly costly.

“They tried to hit hard, got outside edges, and were caught behind the wicket. There was a chance to make a huge total because nobody really knows when and how they would get to bat again. Shubman Gill had scored a fifty and KL Rahul had also played enough balls. So you feel you missed out on an opportunity,” Chopra said.

How KL Rahul and Shubman Gill fell to similar loose shots

Rahul was dismissed for 18 after edging a lazy waft outside off. Prabath Jayasuriya claimed the first breakthrough by taking Rahul’s wicket. The dismissal came after Rahul had played two good drives, suggesting he had settled into his innings before the loose ball tempted him into an error.

The Indian captain, on the other hand, contributed an even 50 before falling to a loose cut. Gill had anchored fluently for his half-century before falling right on the stroke of tea, caught off the bowling of Jayasuriya. Like Rahul, Gill edged outside off while attempting to hit a four with a cut shot.

Get every cricket updates! Follow Us: