Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Yashasvi Jaiswal's productive pull shot led to his downfall once again in the second T20I between India and Ireland in Malahide, Dublin, on Sunday, August 20.
Jaiswal scored 18 runs off 11 deliveries and was caught at deep square leg off Craig Young's bowling. The Men in Blue set the hosts a 186-run target and eventually won the game by 33 runs to seal the series 2-0 ahead of the final match on Wednesday at the same venue.
Chopra reflected on India's innings in a video shared on his YouTube channel. While picking Rinku Singh as his Player of the Match for his enterprising knock, he was slightly disappointed with Jaiswal's dismissal. He elaborated:
"Yashasvi Jaiswal was trying to hit big-big shots and he got out to a short ball once again. He is hitting sixes off short balls but getting out to short balls as well. You are getting cut with the same sword that you use to cut."
Then former Indian opener added that Tilak Varma also lost his wicket similarly. He observed:
"It is a fire that you are using to burn but are yourself getting burnt at times. So Yashasvi will have to keep this in mind. The good thing is that his playing style is absolutely perfect. He bats well and hits decently. He got out, Tilak Varma came, and he also got out to a short ball."
Varma has endured two successive failures after an impressive start to his international career. He was strangled down the leg-side for a golden duck in the first T20I against Ireland and managed just a solitary run in Sunday's game.
"He was slightly unfortunate" - Aakash Chopra on Ruturaj Gaikwad not being chosen as the Player of the Match
Aakash Chopra praised Ruturaj Gaikwad for playing a responsible knock and acknowledged that the opener was slightly unlucky not to be chosen as the Player of the Match. He stated:
"India stumbled a little at that stage. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who played really well, was at one end. He was slightly unfortunate that he scored more than 50 runs, was the highest run-scorer in the Indian innings, but did not get the Player of the Match. He plays in an extremely compact fashion. You don't see any unconventional shots when he plays."
The reputed commentator also lauded Sanju Samson for pacing his innings perfectly. He explained:
"Sanju started the way we ask him to start, to give himself a little more time. You don't have to hit the first ball to the moon. So Sanju Samson played cautiously, gave himself time at the start, and then played good shots. Sanju Samson played a good knock."
Chopra concluded by appreciating Shivam Dube for hitting a couple of lusty blows. He added that the Indian lower-middle order always needs to bat with the freedom they exhibited in Sunday's game.
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