Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar was deeply disappointed over how Yashasvi Jaiswal fell to Mitchell Starc on day three of the third Test at the Gabba, saying it was just not the best of shots one would expect from an opener. After Australia’s first innings ended at 445, a lot was expected from Jaiswal and KL Rahul to give India a great start. But Jaiswal clipped straight to Mitchell Marsh at square leg to depart for just four on the second ball of the innings. “It’s not the best of shots. You are facing 445 runs, then I think it’s important for you to get your eye in. It wasn’t even a half volley, and you have tried to flick that ball away, and it’s a simple catch. Very good field placement and very good captaincy by Pat Cummins for sure.
“But that’s not the best of shots that you expect from an opening bat, particularly when your opposition has got 445. Your job now for that one hour was to try and stay at the crease. Jaiswal, very very disappointing,” said Gavaskar on ABC Sport.
It was also the third time in the ongoing series that Starc had dismissed young Jaiswal. “It’s just all very well to be positive. But you also gotta be practical, and when the ball is new. It’s the first over; you can’t be looking to score 25 runs off the first over.
“It wasn’t even a half volley. I can understand if it was a half volley; sometimes you are not able to keep it along the ground. It was a length ball, you were never going to be able to keep that ball down,” added Gavaskar.
Before India’s innings began, Jaiswal took some throwdowns in the outfield, where he hammered a drive towards the Australian players’ huddle. It eventually hit a Cricket Australia videographer on the back of his left foot, and Jaiswal was quick to apologise for it.
“Five minutes before Jaiswal got out, this is the shot he practiced that whip through mid-wicket, a wonderful shot and good balance. And then you go into the match and it’s the same shot but he goes aerial, just flicks it. It was the pressure of the game, in practice it’s perfect,” stated former England captain Michael Vaughan on Fox Sports.
To this, former India head coach Ravi Shastri replied, “Can you imagine the catch would be there? The man just in front of square, acres of space on the on side and Jaiswal hits it straight to the fielder.”
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