India’s young opening pair, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, both registered ducks for the first time in their careers, marking a historic moment in T20I cricket. The incident occurred during the second T20I against South Africa, marking the first time in seven years that both Indian openers fell for zero in a T20I match.
Jaiswal’s struggle against the extra bounce was evident, as he mistimed a cut shot straight to David Miller at point in the first over. Similarly, Gill fell victim to Lizaad Williams’ pace and swing, trapped LBW in the second over.
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This rare occurrence brought back memories of the 2016 Asia Cup T20I against Pakistan, where both Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane fell prey to Mohammad Amir’s opening spell. However, unlike the 2016 match, India failed to recover from the early setback, eventually losing the match.
Jaiswal dismissed for three ball duck. #SAvIND #INDVSA #IndianCricket #IndianCricketTeam #RohitSharma #shubmangill pic.twitter.com/NGkNaQLYIv
— K H A D I J A 🇵🇰 (@krazy_khadija) December 12, 2023
Shubman Gill in T20is without Ahmadabad
Innings – 11
Runs – 178 runs
Avg – 16 😭
SR- 120Give me freedom,
Give me fire,
Give me Blair Tickner
Or I retire…Shubman Gill’s last 2 international innings.
4,0 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/j8n7noAL9s
— Chetan Rawat (@rwt_chetxn) December 12, 2023
While the double-duck is undoubtedly a disappointing moment for both young players, it is unlikely to affect their long-term prospects. Both Gill and Jaiswal are highly regarded as future stars for India and will surely get more opportunities to showcase their talent.
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Despite the early hiccup, India managed to put up a fight thanks to Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav’s quick-fire knocks. Varma played a crucial cameo of 29 off 20 deliveries, while Yadav reached the milestone of 2000 T20I runs, becoming the second fastest to achieve the feat alongside Virat Kohli.
Although the result wasn’t favorable, the match provided valuable experience for the young Indian team and highlighted areas for improvement. With the T20 World Cup 2024 on the horizon, these learning experiences will be vital for India’s future success.
