Ex-India pacer Dodda Ganesh was critical of the shot Arshdeep Singh played to get out in that thriller of an ODI between India and Sri Lanka, which ended in a tie on Friday, August 2, in Colombo. Chasing a target of 231 at the R, India was at the receiving end of some fine death bowling from Sri Lanka. They had brought it down to one run off 15 balls, with two wickets in hand, at the Premadasa Stadium and looked comfortable.
At that point, a well-set Shivam Dube was at the crease, but the situation took a dramatic turn when Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka dismissed Dube. He was adjudged LBW after failing to connect with a delivery that darted back in, leaving the game wide open.
With Dube’s departure, Arshdeep Singh, India’s No. 11 batsman walked out to the centre. The Punjab pacer tried to go for a big hit off the very first ball, a slog sweep. He however, missed it completely, as the ball hit him on the back leg, and the decision went against him for an LBW. Arshdeep reviewed the decision, but it turned out to be an unsuccessful one.
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Dodda Ganesh slammed Arshdeep for his non-existent game awareness in that kind of situation. He further stated that India’s new head coach Gautam Gambhir must not be happy with the 25-year-old due to his bad choice of shots during pressure.
“You can’t expect runs from the tailenders, but a bit of game awareness is paramount for any cricketer. That shot from Arshdeep isn’t going to impress coach Gambhir,” Dodda Ganesh tweeted on his official X handle.
You can’t expect run from the tail enders but a bit of game awareness is paramount for any cricketer. That shot from Arshdeep isn’t going to impress the coach Gambhir #SLvIND #DoddaMathu
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) August 2, 2024
Ganesh also commended the Sri Lankan players for the spirited comeback, admired the determination and resilience of their bowlers, stating that it would act as a great morale booster for the Sri Lankans who enter contests as underdogs.
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“And it’s a tie. Great application shown by Sri Lankan bowlers. This is going to be a great moral booster for the underdogs,” Dodda Ganesh added on X.
And it’s a tie. Great application shown by Sri Lankan bowlers. This is a going to be a great moral booster for the underdogs #SLvIND
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) August 2, 2024
This Sunday, the second ODI of this three-match series will take place at the same venue. Sunday itself can determine which team takes the lead and an upper hand on the other, as both teams try to improve on the mistakes committed and cash in on created chances.
