South Africa claimed victory in Ahmedabad after successfully dismantling Indian top order and snapping defending champions’ 12-match winning streak with a comprehensive 76-run victory. While Proteas demonstrated adaptability, Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar blasted the “overconfident” and “one-dimensional” approach of Indian batters, specifically labeling Tilak Varma as a major disappointment.
Speaking on Star Sports following the match, the former India captain did not mince words, urging the Indian side to discard their ego and learn from the opposition’s middle-order recovery.
You Don’t Always Need 70 in Powerplay
Gavaskar highlighted the contrast between South Africa’s recovery from 20/3 and India’s frantic chase. While David Miller (63 off 35) and Dewald Brevis (45 off 29) adjusted to a sluggish black soil pitch by playing in the ‘V’, India’s batters appeared intent on “throwing their willows at everything”.
“Having seen how Brevis and Miller built their partnership, that was the approach needed from the Indian batters. But India did not take notes from South Africa’s innings… If they have scored well on a tricky surface like this, you have to get rid of your ego, observe and adjust. The Indian batters did not do that. They came out with overconfidence, threw their bat at everything and lost wickets. South Africa clearly outsmarted India and it was a well-deserved win for them,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Gavaskar Slams Tilak Varma’s Approach
Tilak Varma, who entered the Super 8s with an incredible average of 70.85 against South Africa, perished for just 1 off 2 balls in the second over. Gavaskar noted that the young batter failed to recognize the responsibility of the moment, especially with opener Ishan Kishan already back in the hut.
“Tilak Varma has been a very street-smart batter. But I was disappointed with his approach in this game. Ishan Kishan lost his wicket in the first over. The required rate was around 9.5 runs per over, not 15. So, Tilak could have given himself more time. At the other end, Abhishek Sharma had back-to-back ducks. So, the responsibility was on Tilak to stick around, build a partnership… Even 55-60 runs would have been a good platform,” Gavaskar added.
A Must-Win Scenario For India
The defeat has severely impacted India’s Net Run Rate, which now sits at -3.800. To keep their semi-final hopes alive, the “Men in Blue” must secure victories in their remaining two Group 1 fixtures:
February 26: vs Zimbabwe (Chennai)
March 1: vs West Indies (Kolkata)
With assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate already hinting at a “stick or twist” selection meeting involving Sanju Samson, the pressure is firmly on the top order to deliver a more disciplined performance.
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