Sunil Gavaskar Criticizes Shubman Gill After Surprising Dismissal in Third Test Against New Zealand

On Day 3 of the third Test between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, Indian batter Shubman Gill found himself on the receiving end of sharp criticism from Sunil Gavaskar after a surprising dismissal. Known as the ‘prince’ of Indian cricket, Gill, who had scored an impressive 90 in the first innings, couldn’t carry forward his momentum. He was clean-bowled by New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel after misjudging a delivery that straightened after pitching.

Gill’s dismissal left him visibly stunned, as he attempted to leave the ball, only to see it crash into his stumps. Gavaskar, who was commentating, was quick to point out flaws in Gill’s judgment, especially in deciding which deliveries to play and which to leave.

"How many times have we seen Gill get out leaving the ball? To spinners, to fast bowlers... judgment of which ball to leave, which ball to play is something he will have to work on," Gavaskar remarked. The former Indian captain emphasized the need for Gill to sharpen his decision-making, especially against spin.

India's top order struggled in the second innings, with several key players, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Sarfaraz Khan, falling for low scores. However, a rescue act was underway, led by Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, who built a promising partnership before Jadeja was also dismissed by Ajaz Patel.

By the end of the first session, Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar were tasked with anchoring India’s innings in a must-win match, as India looked to salvage a win in the series. Although the series is already lost with defeats in the first two Tests, a win in Mumbai would help India keep their hopes alive for a spot in the World Test Championship final.