-Vinay Kumar
The Bhishma Pitamah of the cricket world, Sunil Gavaskar, was annoyed by the idea of Team India’s all-rounder Deepak Hooda’s dismissal in the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup, 2022 played in Perth on Sunday, 30 October. Hooda got out in just a few balls.
Sunil Gavaskar said in a statement, “I was insisting on playing an extra batsman, but Deepak Hooda tried to attack on the third ball. Whereas, Suryakumar Yadav was at the other end. He had to play smart cricket.”
In this match, the squad of South Africa’s pace bowlers showed the mirror to the Indian batting. Lungi Ngidi took 4 wickets for 29 runs in his 4 overs spell. India’s openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma could not stay on the pitch for long, Virat Kohli was also used cheaply. Only Suryakumar Yadav, (Suryakumar Yadav) had a bat. He played an innings of 68 runs in 40 balls with the help of 6 fours and 3 sixes.
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Instead of Axar Patel, Deepak Hooda was fielded.
Sunil Gavaskar said in a special conversation with a news channel, “I am not blaming the batsmen. I am saying that apart from Suryakumar Yadav, no one has played the kind of cricket that he had. Which would have helped us get 15-20 runs more. Apart from this, Deepak Hooda was given a chance in place of Axar Patel. This young player has played on Indian pitches. In such a situation, playing on the pitch of Perth would have felt completely different. The extra bounce made him restless and when he got out, India had already lost their top order before reaching 50.
Sunil Gavaskar’s advice to Deepak Hooda
Former Indian team captain Sunil Gavaskar has advised Deepak Hooda to play ‘smart cricket’. Gavaskar said, “For example, some of the wickets that we have seen, maybe he (Deepak Hooda) was worried about the pace and bounce on the pitch and hence trying to do something different. But, it was difficult to do something different against the quality attack. I was insisting on playing an extra batsman, but, Deepak Hooda tried to attack with his third ball while Suryakumar Yadav was at the other end. He had to play ‘smart cricket’.”
Sunny further said, “I think in cricket you are going to have situations where catches are going to be missed, there will be run out opportunities. But the reality what you are seeing is that we didn’t score enough runs. On a pitch where there is going to be a bit of a challenge for the batsmen, I think you have to play smart. I don’t think we played smart cricket enough. Because, if you had played smart cricket, there would have been 150 runs on the scoreboard.
That is, one thing is clear that Sunil Gavaskar has given the players of Team India the principle of playing smart cricket according to the situation and circumstances and winning the World Cup.