Delhi Test: Gautam Gambhir criticizes Usman Khawaja after getting dismissed off reverse sweep

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir criticized Usman Khawaja for his mode of dismissal on day one of many second Test on Friday, saying that the shot was pointless. Khawaja bought out attempting to play a reverse sweep off Ravindra Jadeja.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 17, 2023 23:35 IST

Khawaja scored 81 runs off 125 deliveries earlier than getting dismissed (Courtesy: AP)

By India Today Web Desk: Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir has criticized Usman Khawaja for the best way he bought out attempting to play a reverse sweep on Day one of many second Test in Delhi on Friday.

Khawaja appeared to have put his troubles from the primary Test in Nagpur behind him as he performed a elegant innings of 81 from 125 deliveries to present the guests basis for an enormous rating.

However, the opener perished attempting to play a reverse sweep off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja and the Australian innings ultimately folded for 263 runs.

Gambhir was requested about Khawaja’s dismissal throughout an interplay on Star Sports. The former cricketer, as quoted by Sportskeeda, stated that he is not an enormous fan of the reverse sweep and there was no want for Khawaja to play that shot.

“I am not a very big fan of the reverse sweep. especially in Test cricket. It is different in ODI and T20 cricket. There was no need for that shot. You might have scored a lot of runs with that shot for sure but you have to look at the stage of the game at times.”

“There wouldn’t have been anything wrong if you had played this shot when you had not lost too many wickets or if you were playing with a tailender. You had lost four wickets, and a good partnership was getting formed,” stated Gambhir.

Gambhir additional went on to say that Khawaja ought to have rotated his strike as a substitute of enjoying the shot and stated Australia would have been in a greater spot if the opener had transformed his 81 into a much bigger rating.

“You play the reverse sweep when you are absolutely stuck at one end, when you know that runs are not coming at all. You could have rotated easily, there was a fielder at long-on, there was a deep square leg, take a single and go to the other end.”

“This is going to be the only difference between the two teams. Rohit Sharma scored a century when he got set. If Usman Khawaja had converted this eighty to 150 or 160, your team could have posted a big score. Usman Khawaja will be disappointed as well because it is not necessary that he will get such a start in the upcoming innings.”

Published On:

Feb 17, 2023