Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to India's big win in 2nd T20I vs Afghanistan ft. Aakash Chopra
India convincingly beat Afghanistan by six wickets in Indore to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
The Afghanistan batters put up a total of 172 runs, courtesy of Gulbadin Naib's 57. It was an all-round bowling effort by the Indians, with Arshdeep dismissing three batters and both Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel picking up two wickets each, although the former was expensive.
Yashasvi Jaiswal gave the Men in Blue a flying start with a fabulous half-century, scoring 68 runs at a strike rate of 200. Shivam Dube, who has been impressive in Hardik Pandya's absence, scored an unbeaten 63 off just 32 balls. Karim Janat picked up two wickets but couldn't prevent India from winning the match with 26 balls to spare.
Here are the top five expert reactions to the second T20I between India and Afghanistan:
#1 "It was extremely surprising the way Rohit got out": Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra was critical of the fashion in which Rohit Sharma was dismissed. The Indian captain got out for a duck for the second time in this series after being run out in the first T20I. Chopra questioned the 37-year-old's shot selection.
The former cricketer said on his YouTube channel:
"It was extremely surprising the way Rohit got out. He was playing just his first ball. He doesn't play such shots. The ball went and hit his stumps. He got run out in the last match and was bowled for zero in this match. He hasn't scored a single run in this series thus far."
He continued:
"Run-out was not his mistake but the shot selection definitely was. There is no doubt about Rohit Sharma's form and ability. However, he will have to be in form in the IPL and I feel he will bat like this only. We need 38-40, the runs he was scoring in the ODI World Cup, from his bat."
Chopra is a cricketer-turned-commentator. He didn't have a glittering career for India, but he has made a name for himself post-retirement by analyzing the game. He has a YouTube channel, where he posts regularly.
#2 "He belongs at the international level": Rohan Gavaskar
Former India cricketer Rohan Gavaskar stated that Shivam Dube now belongs to the international level. He reckons that Dube has cemented his place in the T20I setup and will be in the T20 World Cup squad later this year.
Gavaskar told Cricbuzz:
"We have been talking about him as, 'Oh, listen, what if Hardik is unfit?', I think what he is doing is making sure that even if Hardik is fit, he is on that plane in that World Cup squad. If you put in performances like this, it is very hard for anyone to drop you. It is going to be a really tough decision for the selectors if they decide to drop him. He is doing all that he can, which is giving the selectors a headache."
He added:
"After these two games, I think he now feels that he belongs at the international level. He has got the appreciation and respect of his teammates because he put in two absolutely wonderful performances."
Rohan Gavaskar played 11 ODIs for India. He is the son of legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. He has worked as a commentator since retirement, albeit not regularly.
#3 "Rohit Sharma has given him the same confidence": Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina claimed that Rohit Sharma has instilled similar confidence in Shivam Dube as MS Dhoni has in the IPL. Dube's career drastically changed when he started playing fearless cricket for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. His recent international performances have been similar.
Raina said during a discussion on Colors Cineplex:
"Absolutely, if Hardik Pandya is fit, Shivam Dube can also bat. Rohit Sharma is using him well. The IPL form will be very important. As a captain or selector, I will take in-form players, who will score runs in the two months of the IPL, which will be played in different cities."
The former left-handed batter further opined:
"This is India's team. This is captain Rohit Sharma's team. Rohit Sharma will definitely want in-form players and Dube has impressed a lot - not only now, but even in the entire IPL. He impressed a captain like MS Dhoni, who gave him the confidence, and Rohit Sharma has given him the same confidence."
Raina also played for CSK and is widely regarded as one of the best players in IPL history. The former Indian all-rounder was also part of the 2011 World Cup-winning side.
#4 "He knows very few tickets are available for the World Cup": Pragyan Ojha
Pragyan Ojha heaped praise on Yashasvi Jaiswal's magnificence in the second T20I against Afghanistan. The youngster smashed five fours and six sixes in his 68-run knock, which was a huge reason why India were able to chase down the target with such ease.
During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Ojha opined:
"The way he batted, the pace at which he played, the confidence he showed, he showed maturity along with striking ability. He wasn't leaving the game. He was taking the game forward."
The former Indian spinner added:
"He scored a huge percentage of the team's runs. It shows his hunger. He knows very few tickets are available for the World Cup. If you have to get that, you will have to play like this and it's extremely important that you finish the game as well."
Pragyan Ojha played 24 Tests, 18 ODIs, and six T20Is for India. He was a skilled left-arm off-spinner and had a great domestic record. The 37-year-old is now working as an analyst.
#5 "What a delight to watch these two stylish left-handers": Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif took to X (formerly Twitter) to laud both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube for playing an aggressive brand of cricket and making India proud.
He tweeted:
"Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube are making India proud with their entertaining and aggressive brand of cricket. What a delight to watch these two stylish left-handers!"
Kaif is a cricketer-turned-commentator who was primarily known for being a brilliant fielder during his playing days in the early 2000s.