"Do you ask Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to bat at 5 or 6?" - Sunil Gavaskar on Jasprit Bumrah not being given 1st over in India's win vs Pakistan
Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the decision not to give the first over to Jasprit Bumrah in India's 2024 T20 World Cup win against Pakistan. He noted that India's premier seamer should open the attack just like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli bat at the top of the order.
India set Pakistan a 120-run target after being asked to bat first in New York on Sunday, June 9. The Men in Blue then restricted Babar Azam and company to 113/7 to eke out a six-run win and climb atop the Group A points table.
Reviewing the game on Star Sports, Gavaskar credited the Indian bowlers for giving a match-winning performance. However, he claimed that Bumrah could have been utilized more effectively.
"The bowlers very seldom get credit in Indian cricket. So it was good to see the way they came back. Again, I thought maybe Bumrah should have bowled the first over, not the third over. Why waste 12 deliveries? Give it to your best bowler," he said.
"Do you ask Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to bat at five or six? They are your best batters, so they bat one and two. The best bowler gets to bowl first ball if he is a fast bowler. However, whatever it is, India kept their nerve and won the game and that is the most important thing because I think Pakistan lost their nerve despite being 57/1 at the halfway stage," the former India captain added.
Bumrah was introduced into the attack in the third over and gave India their first breakthrough by dismissing Babar Azam in his second over. The unconventional seamer finished with figures of 3/14 in four overs and was awarded the Player of the Match.
"The bowlers saved the batters" - Sunil Gavaskar criticizes India's batting
Sunil Gavaskar noted that the bowlers saved India's blushes after a disappointing performance by their batters.
"I think the bowlers saved the batters because the way they batted, and I said it at the halfway stage, the batting was a bit arrogant and a bit reckless as well. They kept on playing shots when there was really no need," he elaborated.
The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that the Indian batters played extravagant shots and didn't even play the entire 20 overs.
"They kept on going for the glory shots, kept on going for the aerial shots when they could have maybe bided their time. On this surface, 140 is a good score but our batters just kept on looking to go for the big shots and got out. They eventually got out in the 19th over as well. So that is not good cricket," Gavaskar observed.
Rishabh Pant (42 off 31) was the only Indian player to score more than 20 runs. He too led a charmed life and eventually threw away his wicket when India were already in a spot of bother at 96/5.