IND vs AFG: Rohan Gavaskar Lashes Out At Shubman Gill For Ignoring Rohit Sharma

Getting run out for a duck after facing just 2 deliveries of the 1st over is never a good sight for any batsman in the world especially when your partner at the non-striker’s end doesn’t even respond to your call. Indian captain Rohit Sharma experienced exactly that when Shubman Gill kept gazing at the ball instead of running towards the striker’s end in the 1st T20 against Afghanistan.

Rohit Sharma had glanced Fazalhaq Farooqi’s ball towards mid-off and immediately called for a single after seeing the ball traveling slowly towards the fielder. He ran towards the non-striker’s end and there was ample time for Shubman Gill to go to the other end as well but he in turn chose to turn his back on Rohit.

As Gill stood safely inside the crease and kept his eye on the ball, Rohit kept running towards him. The 35-year-old shouted and almost cried in anger, asking him to respond to his call and go to the other end. However, Gill had a total brain fade moment and Rohit Sharma in an obvious response, cussed a few words in anger as he went back to the dressing room.

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His anger was justified because it was his first T20I appearance since November 2022 when his side had lost to England by 10 wickets in the 2022 T20 WC semi-final in Adelaide. He was looking to gain some momentum in the format after a long absence but Gill’s mistrust meant that Rohit Sharma’s comeback remained extremely short-lived.

Many former Indian cricketers and pundits expressed their opinion on the matter and Rohan Gavaskar became the latest to “bash” Shubman Gill.

“It was a walkable run. Let’s not forget Rohit Sharma is a kind of a person, forget captain, Who doesn’t get angry that often. He is very cool, calm, and collective. Now, as a younger player when you see your captain who is normally at equilibrium, blowing a fuse like the way he did, then you are thinking ‘Man I’ve got to do something special.” – Rohan Gavaskar said.

“Shubman Gill Would Have Been At The Safe End,” Rohan Gavaskar On His Mix Up With Rohit Sharma

Rohan Gavaskar further claimed that Shubman Gill, if he had run towards the striker’s end then he would have been in a safer position as compared to Rohit Sharma. He said that the fielder who stays in the mid-off or mid-on region, 9 out of 10 times throws the ball to the non-striking end, thus Gill should have shown more faith in his captain.

“The ball has gone behind the non-striker. Rohit has hit the ball, it’s his call. As a non-striker, you’ve got to trust your partner. 9 times out of 10, the throw won’t be at your end. The fielder at mid-off and mid-on will pick up the ball and have a shy at the bowler’s end. The striker is running at the danger end.” – Rohan Gavaskar concluded.

Regardless of the incident, India won the opening T20 comfortably in Punjab thanks to a Man of the match winning 60-run knock from Shivam Dube. The 2nd T20I takes place tomorrow at Indore’s Holkar Stadium.