Who will you turn to if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have returned to the pavilion with India scoring only 27 runs inside the first seven overs? Team India was on the brink of an embarrassing batting collapse after the Shaheen Shah Afridi-inspired Pakistani attack turned the blockbuster Asia Cup 2023 clash into a low-scoring affair at Pallekele in the first 15 overs.

India were reduced to 66-4 when Shubman Gill’s patient knock of just 10 off 32 balls came to an end in Haris Rauf’s over. Despite losing almost half of its side in the first 20 overs, India staged a remarkable comeback. Leading India’s fightback were vice-captain Hardik Pandya and young Ishan Kishan, who only made it to the playing XI because first-choice wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul was unavailable.

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Shining bright like a diamond, Kishan flexed his muscles on the Pakistani bowling attack. The Indian southpaw played a stroke-filled knock of 82 off 81 balls. His breathtaking knock was laced with 9 fours and 2 sixes. Rating Kishan’s unforgettable knock against Pakistan at the Asia Cup, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar said he will not ‘point a finger at him’ for missing out on a brilliant century. Gavaskar said he would appreciate Kishan for playing the match-altering knock instead

‘I wouldn’t point a finger at him at all’

“Got to give credit to the young man for coming in a crisis situation and scoring 82 runs and having that partnership. I think if he was discomforted by some injury, it is only natural for him to think that because he cannot run fast between the wickets, he should be looking for the boundary. So that’s totally understandable at all. So I wouldn’t point a finger at him at all. I would just pat him on the back and say well done to the young man,” Gavaskar told India Today.

‘Hardik Pandya shepherded Ishan Kishan’

Youngster Kishan (82 off 81 balls) and all-rounder Pandya stitched a crucial 138-run stand for the fifth wicket against Pakistan in a match that was abandoned due to rain at Pallekele. Power-hitter Pandya top-scored for India to earn plaudits from batting maestro Gavaskar. Pandya has been already backed by Gavaskar to succeed Rohit as India’s captain after the 2023 World Cup.

“I think again no praise can be too high for the way he shepherded Ishan Kishan through that partnership. And of course, scoring runs himself hitting the boundaries, picking the ones and twos. And he showed that, you know, in a crisis situation to rise to the occasion, that was terrific innings,” Gavaskar added.