Pujara’s misjudgment costs him dearly as he gets bowled by Green! It’s yet another unfortunate instance of an Indian batter making a poor decision. The ball from Green, a nip-backer, was pitched just outside off and sharply darted back.
Pujara, failing to adequately cover the off-stump, opted to let the ball go with the angle. To his dismay, he turned back only to witness his stumps in disarray. Green jubilantly embarks on a celebratory run, leaving India in a state of turmoil on the second afternoon.
India faced a daunting challenge in the WTC final after Australia set a formidable total of 469 in the first innings. To stay in the game, their openers, Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma, needed to provide a strong start. Things were looking positive as they raced to 23/0 within the first five overs. However, their fortunes quickly turned sour with the loss of two wickets in just four balls.
The first dismissal came when Rohit (15 off 26 balls) fell victim to an exquisite inswinging delivery from Pat Cummins on the last ball of the sixth over. Caught plumb in front, Rohit had to make his way back to the pavilion. The focus then shifted to Gill, who had showcased exceptional talent during IPL 2023. The young batsman started impressively, scoring 13 runs off the first 11 balls with two elegant boundaries. Unfortunately, he failed to maintain the momentum, and his subsequent dismissal became a talking point.
Against Scott Boland, after facing three dot balls, Gill decided to leave a delivery that was pitched outside the off stump. To his surprise, the ball nipped back in, striking the top of the off stump. Gill stood frozen in disbelief for a brief moment, watching the ball crash into the stumps. On social media, the Twitterati questioned his decision to leave the ball, particularly considering Boland’s tendency to target the wickets. Gill’s lapse in judgment provided Boland with an opportunity to celebrate a spectacular wicket.