Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself: Dinesh Karthik Lauds Shubman Gill

Former Kolkata Knight Riders captain, Dinesh Karthik applauds Shubman Gill after the youngster notched up his maiden Test fifty while playing against Australia on the second day of the ongoing Test in Sydney.

Shubman Gill and Karthik have shared the dressing room in the IPL for three seasons hitherto since 2018. The opener was KKR’s leading run-scorer last season and is also touted to be the future leader of the Shahrukh Khan owned franchise.

Karthik took to Twitter to express his elation on his KKR teammate’s promising start to his Test career. The wicket-keeper also suggests Gill to not be hard on himself on his dismissal. After completing his half-century, the right-hander poked a Pat Cummins delivery outside the off-stump which took the edge and Cameron Green took a diving catch at gully.

“A star has arrived. Good start Gilly! You looked good the whole time. Don’t be too hard on yourself about the dismissal,” Dinesh Karthik tweeted.

A ⭐️ has arrived. Good start Gilly! You looked good the whole time. Don’t be too hard on yourself about the dismissal.#<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->W<!---->H<!---->V<!---->y<!---->N<!---->3<!---->J<!---->0<!---->Q<!---->Y

— DK (@DineshKarthik) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->8<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Shubman Gill provides a strong start for India

After Steve Smith’s hundred – his 8th against India – India needed a strong start from the openers. Gill was partnered with the returning Rohit Sharma at the top. Both the batsmen conjured up an opening partnership of 70 runs and made the Aussies wait for 27 overs for their first wickets.

On one end Rohit Sharma, who last played red-ball cricket in 2019, bided out time against the Aussie pacers – on the other, Shubman Gill, fresh from an impressive debut in Melbourne, took the attack to the likes of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

The 21-year-old punched and pulled Starc and Hazlewood, uppercut Pat Cummins before driving Nathan Lyon a couple of times. The Haryana-born batsman brought up his maiden Test fifty before both he and Rohit were dismissed.

Australia sensed a comeback, however, Ajinkya Rahane, Man of the Match in the second Test, and the ever stoic Cheteshwar Puajra took the visitors unscathed till the end of the by batting for 77 balls.

Also Read: Steve Smith Hits Back At Critics After Scoring A Hundred At The SCG